I hope you guys are still there. Please! Love me, senpai! Yeah I said it, you noticed me when you clicked on the story. XD
Chapter 6: Stalemate
Each time I challenge he responds, he takes the bait as if he's taunting me.
L was aware of the skepticism from the task force. Though, he was also aware that it wasn't skepticism entirely. He knew that he was a bit thorough in his investigations. He even admitted it to himself. It's just, he had to be. He could leave no stone un turned and not one corner looked around. He had to stretch to every possible lead, though he was sure that some of the cameras were unnecessary. It was the Yagami household he was interested, specifically Light and Tsuki Yagami.
They hadn't gotten home yet, but from what Soichiro had informed they'd walk through the door any second. He bit into a cookie, awaiting the twins' arrival.
Sure enough, Tsuki and Light walked in and removed their shoes at the door as normal. Tsuki called out into the empty house announcing her and her brother's return home. Receiving no reply she turned to Light and he shrugged. The two went upstairs, like normal teens. Light stopped in front of his respective room and Tsuki in front of her room they both paused for just a second before entering the room. Light plopped onto his back and sighed.
Tsuki ran a hand through her hair went to the closet. She changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, she paused in the action and huffed. She went over to her bag and pulled out a piece of paper. She read it over and set it on the bed. L watched as she went back to her closet to change her shirt again. She swapped the short sleeved shirt for a long sleeved one and grabbed her jacket. She donned it and took the list from the bed.
L's eyes flitted to the feed from the hallway and observed her open Light's door, the teen looked up. "Light, I have to go to the market to pick up a few things. Do you want to come?" She asked and waved the list in her hand.
"Why? I have to study. You should too." He drawled and sat up on his mattress.
"Because I could get hurt walking these streets at night, you know." She pouted. He rolled his eyes, "Also, we're out of chips, consomme flavor."
He got up and walked to his closet to retrieve his coat. "That is an emergency," He smiled. She returned the gesture and they left the room. Upon closing the door, Light bent down and retrieved a piece of paper. He stuck it between the door and the doorframe.
"You're so paranoid, I and Sayu are the only ones to barge into your room. She'd never find anything that you're hiding." Tsuki teased.
"Yes, but it's good to know when someone does get into my room. Privacy, it's required for teenagers you know." He smirked. "Now when it's just me leaving the two of you alone I worry."
"Because I know all of your secret hiding places." Tsuki sent him a grin and slipped on her shoes, a pair of ratty tennis shoes. Light shrugged.
"I have nothing to hide from you, which terrifies me." She laughed and they were out of the house.
"They seem fairly close, Yagami-san." L noted.
"Yes, they've always been like that. I'm not sure what made them such good friends as well as siblings. I suppose it's because they're both smart." Soichiro explained.
"They are very smart, if their school records have anything to show for it." L agreed. He wondered if they were equal in their intelligence or if one was smarter than the other. It could also be that one was stronger in one area, while the other was stronger in another. Therefore, they balanced each other out.
However, though they seemed so natural, there was something forced about their interactions. It would be illogical to assume that it was do to the cameras without proof. It was still something to note for further examination. He couldn't help observing the oddities the twins shared. Tsuki and Light both had a routine. There was something habitual about the way Tsuki changed out of her uniform, and the way Light walked into his room. Again came the forced casualty. The only thing that was believable about Light was his interaction with Tsuki. Sadly, even some of Tsuki's movements and actions seemed prompted.
Maybe they were actually in a fuel that neither wished to address, that would explain the forceful.
After about twenty minutes, not only did the twins return but as did Sachiko and Sayu. Light greeted his other sister and mother, afterwards he went back to his room. Tsuki stayed downstairs. She sat with Sayu to watch TV. She seemed totally enraptured with the show on, so L flicked his gaze to Light, who was reading. He was reading a very dirty magazine.
"What? I can't believe my son would read such things." Soichiro mumbled incredulously. L picked up a chocolate resting on the coffee table.
"It's actually very normal for a male his age. So, this isn't very shocking." L assured, Soichiro stilled appeared very disgruntled but accepted this. L, however, didn't think it was normal for Light. It added to strange forced actions he had done since L first saw him walk into the house with Tsuki.
The aforesaid girl got up from the couch, apparently Sachiko had announced the dinner. Tsuki trotted upstairs and went straight into her brother's room, L now believed that this was just routine for the twins. He wondered if Light did the same to her.
Light looked up, and as if unashamed, looked back at the magazine. "Mother says dinner is ready, so put away the bad trash and come downstairs." She ordered blankly.
"Got it," He replied and closed the magazine, getting up. A grin appeared on Tsuki's face, she quickly snatched the magazine from her twin's hands. He glared and made to grab it. She ran from him with a devious sounding giggle.
"I wonder what Sayu would think of this, her onii-chan isn't so perfect now is he." She teased and made for the door. "I wonder what Okaasan will think, talk about a heart attack."
Light huffed caught her by the waist before she left the room. "You wouldn't dare."
"Tell me I wouldn't!" She laughed and struggled to get out of the hold. Light drug her from the door and move to hold her with both arms. "Let me go or I'll tell dad you stole the magazine. A night in jail would teach you."
"He won't believe you for a second time." Light growled still gripping her waist. She smirked.
"You know what they say, you stole once you'll do it again." She joked and threw the magazine on the bed. Light released her then.
"Yes, but I never stole anything in the first place. You were just mad that Marukawa-sensei called you Light that day." The twins left the room after Light put his magazine back in his hiding spot in his book shelf.
"Who did dad believe, you or me?" She reminded. Light rolled his eyes.
"I think he'd see through your lies now." He defended. She pouted. Sayu popped up, "What lies?"
"Nothing Imouto," Tsuki dismissed and the siblings went to eat dinner.
L glanced at Soichiro, who surprising was smiling. He must be amused, L certainly was. He just masked it better than the elder Yagami. "What did you do to Yagami-kun then?" He asked curiously.
"I made him sit in one of the holding cells for the night. He was fourteen at the time. I wish I could apologize without sounding suspicious." He chuckled.
"Are you surprised to hear you daughter would do something like that?" He went on.
"Not particularly, she's gotten out of a lot of things using that wit of her's. Light is the same, I just don't think he was willing to out Tsuki. Not that I would've believed him." Again the man laughed. It was nice to hear Soichiro talk about his children like this, and laugh. Maybe setting up cameras was better than he thought.
L reverted back to screens and watched the family finish their meal, all the while the TV played in the background. Once Sayu finished, she was back to watching a drama on TV. L called up Watari, "Tell them to show the broadcast." He asked.
"Yes, sir,"
L waited for the announcement to scroll across the screen. Sayu saw the banner first and animatedly told this to her brother and sister still sitting at the table. Light looked to screen, Tsuki turned since she was facing away from the TV.
"Hmm, it's a trick." She concluded and turned back to her brother.
"Yes, otherwise the ICPO are being stupid. There's no point in making this announcement if they're going to send them in, they should let them come in secret. Even those FBI agents investigating secret were killed. They'll meet the same fate." Light shrugged, his voice remaining noncommittal and uncaring. Tsuki nodded with a calculative stare.
"Yes, they're just trying to shock Kira into making a move." She agreed, but pursed her lips. "However, if Kira acted, which is doubtful, the result would be delayed as it would take quite some times to get the names and faces of all of those agents. That is saying we are correct in the idea that all he needs is a name and face." Light's brows raised, either impressed or just wildly shocked.
"I agree, even if he obtained all of those face or all of the names, he'd still have to take a while. Doing each individually or however way he does it. It would still take a considerable amount of time, especially if the agents have fake names." He added.
"Plus, they would have to get the permission from whatever government they are receiving the agents from. There is just no way, ever since the FBI incident, that they could get anyone to send in two agents let alone 1000. So, the idea is not to provoke Kira into acting, that we have established will not occur. The idea is to see what he thinks of the broadcast." She elaborated. Light nodded impressed this time.
"Are you suggesting that they are watching for his reaction not his actual actions?" He asked.
"Possibly, I just don't know how. It is possible that they have their eyes on a suspect." Tsuki's innocent face revealed nothing else but curiosity. The meaning by innocent described that she revealed no teasing behind her words. She wasn't joking about how stupid the ICPO was, simply deducing that this really was a trick. Light appeared to feel the same, his own innocent expression was light and open. L didn't believe the expressions for a second, but he could disprove the legitimacy of them either.
"Oh, you guys are so smart." Sayu giggled. Tsuki smiled down at her sister.
After the Yagami dinner, Light went to the cabinet to grab the bag of chips Tsuki had put in their that day. Tsuki remained downstairs and watched TV with her sister and mother. Sayu teased Light about the chips. Tsuki defended, "I have heard that you can burn calories simply by using your brain." Sayu gaped.
"Really, is that why you can eat bowls of ice cream but gain no weight? Because you're smart." She looked hopeful and Tsuki giggled.
"I suppose, just look at me, I haven't done sports since I sports since i was thirteen." She laughed. Sayu joined in the laughter.
L blinked, he often said the same thing to Watari whenever he would try to get L to go outside and exercise. That would be his response, that and he knew capoeira and had to practice every once in while. This fact almost brought a smile to his face.
He sighed and took a bite out of another chocolate.
For the rest of the night, Light stayed up studying. Tsuki watched TV and later went to her room. She got started on her own work. She finished quickly and dressed for bed, cuddling into her covers and falling asleep. Not too long after that, Light stopped his relentless studying and went to bed as well.
All in all, L concluded that they were acting very normal. Tsuki was watching TV, Light had no way to get news of criminals from his room, as his TV and computer were off. So, they had an alibi, even L could attest to. Still, though, Watari entered the room with news of the death of two criminals.
That was more than a little disappointing.
000
The next day, I took a piece of Death Note with me. I wrote in the slip names of ten different criminals to die. I had never actually done the judging before, accept for Naomi Misora, which didn't count as judging. It appeared that the euphoria that washed over me from writing her name down extended into now. Every single name, I felt empowered. I understood now why Light never asked me to do this before. it was just felt too addicting. One after another, evil souls now condemned to rot in Hell.
I had to then, we were to trade places essentially. Like yesterday, I stayed downstairs and watched TV with Sayu. Light stayed in his room to judge criminals, I hid a TV in the potato chip bag, he was able to write down names using his left hand and write and solve equations with his right. The perks of being ambidextrous, a talent we did not share. I am only right-handed.
The cameras weren't a surprise. We just hoped it wasn't specifically for us, that there were others. Though, we both silently knew that we were suspects, more so than the others if there were others. All we could do was to steer the blame away from us.
It was easy to distance myself from Light. I had already been doing so. Our relationship had changed, we never spoke of it, but still we never really hugged or comforted each other like we usually did. It wasn't that I didn't want to, I love the feeling of being held, like the closeness calmed me. That fact wasn't abnormal in twins, but certainly not common. It felt like I'd be overstepping boundaries now, I assume he felt the same.
It was disheartening, but I hoped we'd move on so things could go back to how they were between us. I missed my brother.
"You need to study for the entrance exams coming soon," Light said as we walked home. I rolled my eyes.
"I will, but really I don't plan on getting top score." I shrugged.
"What do you mean, we always get top score." He furrowed his brows, truly confused. I almost laughed.
"I just don't want to be mistaken again, or you to be mistaken. I hate it when announcers get confused and announce us as Tsuki and Tsuki or Light and Light. It's not fair, and very rude." I huffed and glared at him when he chuckled.
"I see, well I suppose that makes sense, but it's silly to lower your score so you don't have to be announced with me." He chastised, something he did often when I didn't care enough.
I just blinked at him and shrugged again. He shook his head in frustration but added nothing. He instead pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to me. I scanned it and saw it was a list of high profile criminals soon to be killed by Kira. We had come to the decision that minor criminals shouldn't be the only ones to die during the surveillance, or else that would raise suspicion. So, the plan was for me to kill off the high profile criminals while doing my homework, once Light left for cram school, he would then start writing down the names of criminals on his way to and from the school. This would allow me to do something to take the attention off of me, as in start doing homework or talk with my nonexistent friends. By passing the job off like this and without any sign of a discussion, L and task force would be unable to pinpoint blame. It would make us look innocent. At least we hoped.
Once we got home, I went to my room like always and Light went to his. He would actually begin working on assignments, preparing to go to cram school. I changed and sat down at my desk, I took out my notebooks and textbooks. As I read the texts, feet up on the chair and notebook with the pieces of Death Note resting against my thighs, I would write down the names I had recognized from the list, which had been thrown away in a random dumpster.
Light came in after an hour of doing this, "I'm headed for cram, Mom says dinner is ready." He informed and I nodded. I got up and closed the notebook. I set my things down and went down to the kitchen to eat dinner.
"Onee-san, can you help me with my homework?" Sayu asked me after dinner.
"Of course, Sayu, just let me finish up a few things." I said and she followed me to my room. This was good, it gave me an excuse to do something non incriminating, an alibi. I finished reading and wrote down a few fake notes. I put away my work and began helping Sayu.
We were twenty minutes into the work when she spoke up.
"Do you think Dad will be back soon?" Sayu asked suddenly. My mind went to the cameras in my room. I wondered if he was watching. I offered a sympathetic smile.
"I'm not sure, but we must understand that he is working diligently on a very dangerous case. I am sure once he has caught Kira, he'll be home and he will make it up to us some how." I explained. It put a small smile on her face, so I accomplished something in the statement.
I finished helping her, and she thanked me before skipping out of the room. By that time, Light had returned. I went onto my computer, and he would begin studying. Our work as Kira for the day was done.
I was only five minutes into checking my email when a chat box I was all too familiar with popped up. I frowned. Nero, r u there?
I debated on not answering. Yes, I'm here, what do want Falcon? Unless you are not Falcon.
I swear I am, it rlly was my friend. He can b an ass. I rolled my eyes.
I got that much, where is this friend now?
He's out, somethin bout food. I smiled. I did believe him, not because I had proof, but it did sound like him.
How are you?
Good, u?
I am well, anything good? I bit my lip and hoped the resolution on the surveillance was shit. I couldn't go into detail about hacking, because that would be put a damper on things if I was arrested for hacking instead for being Kira.
Nope, u?
What's with the two word answers? Not that a letter can qualify as a word unless it's "a" or "I." I teased. My correction should assure him that I had forgiven him. Or at least make him laugh wherever he was.
A name could b a letter. He defended shockingly.
Like mysterious detective L? That's a pseudonym, I reminded.
Yea, who cares, Falcon is a pseudonym. So is Nero.
Are you saying that a letter wouldn't make a good pseudonym?
It took a moment for him to reply. No, course not.
My smile widened, I tried not to laugh for fear of bringing attention to myself. It was nice to talk to someone. And if the task force saw that I was talking with someone online, that would add another thing to take me off the list of suspects. As long as we avoided discussing hacking.
To be continued…
Song: Stalemate by Death Note the Musical NY demo (I know, I know, it's actually a good song.)
Question for Author from Author: Is Falcon important? Answer: Not now, he will be in the future. For now it's kind of like a filler.
Review! :3