Thanks for all the amazing reviews – and no, I'm not planning to bring in Matt and Near. It'd be too distracting from the main story, sadly. Maybe they'll appear in some other story sometime. Maybe I'll write a sequel to this. But hopefully not until I finish some of the other stuff! XD
Speaking of which – there's not so much left of this story. So I'm going to finish it before I get back to the other ones. Seems better than leaving this and coming back to it after I've lost the plot XD
MELLOSPEAK: Sometimes he uses words that are local to me. This is because he was brought up in Wammy's house in Manchester, which is just across a small mountain range from where I live myself. Nothing too extreme though, he's not a chav XD
SPOILERS: This is an AU so no real spoilers, may be hints of stuff from the manga but if you don't know, you won't know XD
DISCLAIMER: Death Note and its characters are not mine. The story and poem are mine. The quote is from Romeo and Juliet.
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You talk to me
It's rain on the garden.
Food after day's work.
Coming in filthy
finding a hot bath.
Breathing again
After too long underwater.
The beat of my heart.
Peace after war.
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Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, and vice sometime's by action dignified.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"I will pay," Ryuuzaki said.
"But you're not even drinking," Raito protested.
"Nevertheless. I have more money than you."
"Are you sure?"
"I know what you earn."
"Yes, but I don't know what you earn," Raito said.
"More than you."
"So you say..."
"Much more. I will not even notice a round of drinks for six people."
"Even when one of them's Mikami?" Raito gave the lawyer a worried glance.
"I think it's time Mikami slowed down," Ryuuzaki's eyes followed the direction of Raito's gaze. "After eating such a pleasant meal, it would be a pity to lose it again. Especially if that should involve hurling over one's friends."
"Nice image," Raito muttered. "I have to go play, Ryuuzaki, I'm late already. Will you keep an eye on him for me?"
"I don't have enough with Mello?" Ryuuzaki smiled, and both their gazes turned to watch Mello, who had cornered a shy looking middle-aged man in a business suit and was asking him if he had any tattoos. "He's just – playful," Ryuuzaki added.
"Don't let him play me out of a job," Raito advised as he left the party, not without some misgivings.
He was just about to apply fingers to keys when he saw Mello leave his prey and start to cross the room toward him, people moving out of his way like the more intelligent inhabitants of Pompeii.
"Hey, Raito," the blond said, flinging himself over the top of the piano and leering down at the young detective. "Nice instrument."
"Thank you, Mello, but it's not mine." Raito said.
"No, I've heard all about your one hole flute," Mello said, regarding Raito thoughtfully. "You're not dressed right for a performer."
"Pardon?"
Mello leaned down and carefully unfastened the top two buttons of Raito's shirt. Examined his handiwork critically and undid another one.
"Sorted," he said. "Show some skin. Gets em looking even if they don't like the music."
"I shall make a note to always come to you for sartorial advice in future," Raito murmured.
"Sarcastic bitch," Mello said. "So what's up with this place? Some guy – " he indicated a pretty young man with long dark hair who was watching him rather anxiously. " – came up to me and asked if I wanted to meet somebody. Is he a pimp?"
"He's one of the hosts," Raito explained. "This is a traditional bar. The hosts endeavor to make people comfortable and introduce them to someone they might feel compatible with."
"No shit?" Mello grinned. "You think he's gonna find me someone?"
"I very much doubt it," Raito said, with a smile.
"He could find me himself," Mello said, thoughtfully. "He's well cute."
"I need to play now, Mello."
"Yeah, right, don't rush yourself, they're lucky to have you," Mello said, sprawling lazily over the piano. "So where am I sleeping tonight?"
"I thought you'd be sleeping with us," Raito said, calmly. I was calm, wasn't I? I'm not blushing or stammering or looking scared to death?
"Yeah?" Mello raised his eyebrows. "Okay! Cool and all those other fuckin urban slang words. Play on, Yagami, and let him throw up in the gutter that cannot hold enough!"
He strolled off and Raito started playing, fast, walling himself off with the music.
This has been a very strange night. And it's not all Ryuuzaki this time. Although – the carrots – and the kitchen – mmm, the kitchen. God, he's so hot. I really want to – no, not while I'm playing. Too distracting.
He looked across at where his ill-assorted group of friends were hopefully attempting to find common ground. Mikami slumped over his drink, looking depressed, Matsuda failing to engage the miserable lawyer in conversation. Namikawa, princess-fashion, staring around and greeting people he knew. Ryuuzaki and Mello muttering to each other, smiles and – touching. Raito watched them, taking in the easiness and openness of their conversation. Mello, grabbing a fistful of Ryuuzaki's shirt as he made a point, Ryuuzaki playfully cuffing the younger man around the head. Mello sticking his tongue out at Ryuuzaki.
They're friends, aren't they. Friends. Not, uh, service industry worker and client. Oops. I think I've misread this situation just a little bit... He's intelligent, like Ryuuzaki is. Like we both are. And so confident – he just likes to dress like that and doesn't care who's looking at it. Nothing to do with his profession at all, whatever that is. My God, think how embarrassed I'd have been if I'd mentioned to Ryuuzaki that I thought his friend was a hustler! Well, no harm done... apart from... fuck, fuck, fucking fuck! I asked him to sleep with us!
He got through the rest of the set on autopilot, hurrying back over to the table as soon as he'd finished. Found Mikami and his boyfriend centre-stage, the others looking on rather anxiously.
"I don't want to!" Namikawa was saying coldly.
"You never want to!" Mikami declared. "Wass – what's wrong with it. Dancing. That's what people do. They go out together and they go dancing. Pressed up against each other like – like a comfortable thing."
"You're too drunk to dance!" Namikawa hissed.
"I wouldn't drunk if you were kinder to me!" Mikami said. "You always treat me as if I'm some kind of idiot and I'm not. I've never c-consciously done anything to displease you and yet you behave as if everything I do is wrong."
"Maybe I don't appreciate you consulting me about every little thing like my pet dog!" Namikawa muttered venomously. "Maybe I'd like you better if you made some decisions for yourself once in a while."
"But you said you liked me how I was, Reiji," Mikami's voice was unsteady, "and yet, there seems to be nothing about me that you actually do like. Not my behaviour or my manners or my looks and you don't like sex with me either."
"That's it!" Namikawa snapped. "I'm leaving. And I'm taking the car, Mikami-san, so you can make your own way home. Excuse me gentlemen." He bowed to the rest of the table's occupants and stalked out.
"Fucking dickhead!" said Mello. Raito had to agree, that about summed it up.
"Me?" Mikami peered worriedly at Mello, his hair messy, his glasses askew.
"No, him, stupid," Mello said.
"He's not stupid," Matsuda defended the depressed-looking lawyer.
"It's just a – term of affection," Mello said, patting Mikami on the back. "Want some soya beans, Mikami? These things are awesome, better than peanuts."
Mikami shook his head and leaned forward, arms on knees. "Look at them all," he muttered, waving his hand around at the room. "Smiling and laughing and looking as if they haven't a care in this corrupt, evil world. Next week half of them will probably be alone and crying. They'd be better off dead before they find out how cruel life can be to them."
Ryuuzaki turned to Raito, a questioning look on his face, his hand straying up to touch his hair. Raito shook his head, realised that was an emotional response and thought again. Nodded.
"You've had enough," Ryuuzaki reached across and took Mikami's glass from him.
"Hey!" Mikami glared cross-eyed at the detective. "That's my – my, uhm, my drink! Yes, my drink! You took my drink!"
"Yes, I did, and you're not having any more, Mikami-san," Ryuuzaki said, pouring out the contents of the glass into an empty one that stood on the table. Raito, who knew what he was up to, wasn't surprised to see he poured from the side Mikami hadn't been drinking from.
"He took my drink!" Mikami turned to Matsuda and Ryuuzaki let his hand go down by his side, still holding the glass. Fished around in his pocket with his other hand and let something drop from it.
Raito groped carelessly inside his suit jacket, brought out his wallet and let it fall to the floor. Bent to pick it up and also grabbed the plastic evidence bag that Ryuuzaki had dropped. He slid it around the glass on his way back up and took it from his partner's hand, transferring it to his own pocket.
"Someone should get him some coffee," Ryuuzaki said as if nothing had happened.
"I'll do it!" Matsuda scurried off to the bar and Ryuuzaki leaned toward Raito.
"I'm sorry, Raito," he said. "It's just a possibility – "
"I understand," Raito said. "But I can't believe it. Not him. He's, well, all talk. I'm sure he'd never actually do anything wrong."
"Then the DNA test of his saliva should clear him completely," the older man murmured, still staring at Mikami assessingly.
Raito sighed. He wants to catch the murderer. Even if it turns out to be someone I know. Well, so do I, of course. But he needn't look so damn eager.
"Raito-kun looks distressed," Ryuuzaki muttered.
"He's my friend," Raito whispered back. "How do you expect me to look?"
"Are you angry with me, Raito?"
"I just don't think it's anything to be happy about."
Ryuuzaki looked thoughtful. "Perhaps I am letting my enthusiasm for the speedy resolution of the case overshadow the personal issues involved. After all, we neither of us want anyone else to die."
"I know!" Raito snapped. "I know you're right – I just don't like the idea, that's all."
"Raito-kun thinks I am heartless," Ryuuzaki gave one of his mournful looks.
"I don't know you well enough for that," Raito said, rather cruelly.
"Emotional responses are inappropriate in a situation like this, Raito-kun," Ryuuzaki said.
"What if it was me?" Raito asked, then wished he hadn't. Fuck, what if he says he'd just arrest me and have done with it?
"It isn't you, Raito." Ryuuzaki said.
"But what if it was?" Yeah, self-destructive, that's me. What the fuck am I doing? Why can't I leave well alone?
"I would hope I would have the good instincts not to involve myself personally with a murderer," Ryuuzaki said, looking slightly distressed. "But if it was – I don't know, Raito. I'm not sure what I would do."
"So your lack of emotional response doesn't extend to trying to convict your lover?" Raito persisted.
"Raito-kun is being unkind to me," Ryuuzaki said, annoyance evident in his eyes. "I have spent more than half my life endeavoring to be impartial and to put the necessities of justice above my own needs and desires. If Raito-kun expects me to change overnight, he is going to be sadly disappointed."
Raito stared at the floor, saying nothing. Now I feel guilty. But I haven't done anything wrong. Have I?
"Coffee!" Matsuda returned with a smile, placing a large cup of cappucino in front of Mikami.
"Thanks," Mikami stared gloomily into the cup. "I'm grateful. Where did Reiji go?"
"He, uh, left," Matsuda explained. "Don't you remember?"
"Yes," Mikami said. "I just wasn't sure if he'd actually gone. I thought he might have stayed to taunt me some more. Taunting and flaunting, that's all he does."
"He doesn't put out?" Mello suggested.
Mikami looked at him as if wondering whether to take offence. Then sighed. "No. Six months, two hand-jobs."
"That's certainly not enough to keep a relationship going, Mikami-san," Ryuuzaki said, glancing at Raito mischievously.
"It's a good start to one, though," Raito said, giving his partner a sweet smile. He's forgiven me – whatever I did. That's a relief.
"Was that for you or for him?" Mello asked.
"Me," Mikami said. "When I, uh, insisted. He won't let me do anything but kiss him. He says he's saving himself."
"What the fuck for?" Mello demanded.
"I have no idea," Mikami said.
"He's a tease," Matsuda gave his opinion. "What's the good of a boyfriend that isn't interested enough in you to want sex?"
"I offered to be uke if he wanted me to," Mikami said. "I said he could use me in any way he pleased, but he still wasn't itern – interested."
"He's going to regret this conversation in the morning," Ryuuzaki muttered in Raito's ear.
"Let's hope he can't remember it," Raito said, though he'd never thought of Mikami as anything but uke anyway.
Ryuuzaki nodded, then got up to go lean over Mello's chair, murmuring something to the blond.
"Nobody should use anybody in a relationship," Matsuda was declaring. "If you want to be uke, then it's your seme's responsibility to make you happy with it! Give you pleasure! Make you squeal with delight and beg for more!"
Raito rolled his eyes. Obviously Mikami wasn't the only one here who'd had a little more wine than was good for him.
"All this sex talk is making me horny," Mello declared, getting up from his seat. "Think I'll go have a wank in the restroom."
"Drive you into hot spasms of ecstasy," Matsuda elaborated as he patted the bewildered-looking lawyer comfortingly on the arm. "Kiss you and lick you and suck Mr Happy till he smiles!"
"I have to go play some more," Raito said, giving Mikami a worried look.
"We'll take care of things here," Matsuda said brightly.
Raito nodded and turned away, only to be stopped by a tugging at his sleeve. He looked back, found Ryuuzaki gazing at him.
"Raito need not be surprised that I am going to come and stare at him playing the piano," the older detective stated.
"But – Mikami," Raito sighed. "I'm sorry, Ryuuzaki. I shouldn't inflict my drunk friends on you."
"Any drunken friend of Raito's is a problem of mine," Ryuuzaki smiled. "But I think it's best to leave Mikami in Matsuda's care. Since Matsuda obviously likes him."
"Likes him?" Raito stared. "You mean – likes him?"
"I would say there's a ninety-five per cent probability that he's prepared to be Mikami's new boyfriend when Mikami comes to his senses and removes the useless one from his life."
"Useless?" Raito raised an eyebrow. "So – you think a boyfriend's only use is for sex, Ryuuzaki?"
"Raito-kun is not stupid, he knows I would not mean that," Ryuuzaki looked slightly offended. "But look at this situation. What kind of man goes home, leaving his drunk and maudlin lover in the care of two complete strangers and a friend who is occupied with a piano performance? And Mello? Would you treat your boyfriend like that?"
"No, I'd take you home with me," said Raito. "And laugh at your headache next morning."
"Raito-kun is a good boyfriend," Ryuuzaki smiled. "And Mello is adjusting your piano."
"I thought he was going to – "
"I told him to make himself scarce," Ryuuzaki said. "That was just his polite excuse for leaving the table."
Raito hurried back to his piano, which Mello was just getting up from underneath. "Hey, Raito!" he exclaimed. "I turned your microphone on! Now we can sing!"
"I don't know if the audience here would like anything you might sing, Mello," Raito protested.
"It'd surprise you, the boring old shit I know how to sing," Mello said, flopping down on the piano stool then shuffling over to make room for Raito, who sat down beside him deciding that he'd now officially given up on sanity.
"You know this?" Mello asked, putting his fingers on the keys and hesitantly picking out a melody.
"Yes, I know that," Raito said. "But – "
"Go for it," Mello grinned. "Don't worry, I'll be the girl." He leaned forward, spoke, or rather, yelled into the microphone. "Hello Toyko!"
Everyone in the place looked round in alarm as the voice boomed amongst them.
"Are you ready to rock?" Mello demanded. "Then you've come to the wrong fuckin bar!"
Raito started to play hastily as the younger man collapsed against him in giggles, then slid his arm round Raito's waist and managed to collect himself, leaning forward to sing.
"I really can't stay – "
Raito glanced round, caught Ryuuzaki's eye as he wandered over to the piano and smiled ruefully. Then joined in. "But, baby it's cold outside..."
"I have to go away!" Mello insisted.
Raito smiled and sang, feeling more than a little frazzled inwardly. I wish I could go away! I'll be glad when I finish work. Go home and have some coffee. And Ryuuzaki. I'd like to have him. At least I just hope we can get rid of all these people soon and have some peace and quiet together... sex and peace and quiet... now we both sing...
"Baby, it's cold outside!"