Title: An Apple a Day
Author: hyperRme
Summary: An apple a day keeps the doctor away… but if the doctor is cute forget the fruit. L turns this into his motto when he is forced to see doctor Raito because of his sugar only diet. As he pursues the doctor, L learns that the murderer he is trying to catch is after Raito's life.
Genre: Romance/Crime/Humor/Angst/Drama/Horror/Friendship/General/Mystery/Everything. But mainly romance. Lots of romance.
Rated: Mature
Pairing: L X Raito
Disclaimer: Death Note belongs to Tsugumi Obha and Takeshi Obata. I am neither one.
So yes, the date chapter. I'm terribly sorry if it disappoints. It might, it's not incredibly exciting but it's long. That's what matters, right? So summer's almost here and for some of you it's already begun. Well aren't you lucky? Just a week and a half! Although that means finals.
A big thanks to my reviewers! Seriously, without you guys, I wouldn't have a hobby as I realized by my sociology project. So keep my hobby alive! Reivew!
"L?" Watari entered the room after knocking on the door. "Are you awake?" The detective stirred from his awkward position on his chair. He rubbed his eyes and looked groggily at the elder man. "Today is Tuesday," he said, pouring a cup of coffee to help L wake up. "I believe you know what that means."
"Today is my date with Raito-kun," L nodded, slowly reviving. "Today is the last day of the bet." Watari wordlessly handed him the cup of coffee, sugar already input. "Watari, do you think I can win this? Do you think I can make Raito-kun fall in love with me?"
"This is rare of you, asking somebody for their opinion."
L's eyes widened a bit as if in shock. He bit his thumb and looked down at the reflection of himself in the coffee. "You are right, Watari. This is different. Please excuse me."
Watari smiled and handed him an éclair from the tray. "I believe you will do just fine, L. You can do this."
L stared at the pastry before taking it. He looked up at Watari's encouraging smile. "Thank you, Watari."
"Now enough moping around, you've got to get ready for your date!" Watari said walking toward the windows and yanking open the curtains. The sunshine struck L's eyes harshly. "It is a beautiful day outside, a perfect day for a date! Come and see for yourself, Ryuuzaki!"
"It would be beneficial for my eye's sake that you would warn me before flinging the curtains open." L muttered, blinking at the sunlight.
"It wouldn't have to be beneficial if you did your eyes a favor and don't force them to look at a computer screen in complete darkness for three days straight," the old man countered. "Do you have any idea what you are planning to do with Yagami-sensei today?"
"Absolutely none."
"What have you been doing in the past three days in the dark then?" he asked in disbelief. "Stalking Yagami-sensei through street cameras?"
L bit his thumb, trying to seem as innocent as possible, "You're just as good as Raito-kun at figuring me out. I must be losing my skills."
"I know you are worried, L, but I do not think Isha will attack him on the street with lots of witnesses in the middle of the afternoon."
"One can never be too sure," he said around his thumb. "It didn't mean anything in the end. Raito-kun never left his father's house. Deputy Yagami said that Raito-kun barely leaves his room except for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And the street camera outside his room shows that he has not snuck out of his bedroom window. I wonder what he is doing in there…"
"Probably mentally preparing himself for this date of yours," Watari jested, collecting L's dirty dishes clustered around the computer. He spotted L's displeased glare. "Don't get all pouty at me. If I was in his position, that's exactly what I would be doing, especially since you didn't plan any of this out. Yagami-sensei is expecting a mind blowing date and you're blowing it off!"
"I figured it would be funnier to Raito-kun if I made the activities off of the top of my head. Men and women probably plan their dates with him for weeks in advance, maybe even some who never actually got the privilege, so it might be more interesting to Raito-kun if I answered his question about what I had planned with a 'Have yet to decide.' Do you agree?"
"I think you're off your rocker, that's what," Watari chuckled, "It is currently twelve. We have two hours to get you ready and arrive at the Yagami residence."
L stretched his knotted back. "What do you mean 'get ready'? I am ready," he and Watari looked down at his sloppy attire that he's been wearing for the past four days with cake, ice cream, chocolate and coffee spilt down the front. "I guess I should change…"
"You might want to do that."
"… Is that what you're wearing?" was the first thing Raito said upon opening the door.
"I don't get a hello or a kiss?" L asked.
"Not when you're wearing the same dumb clothes you wear every day."
"That's a shame. Raito-kun will just have to settle with these clothes." L leaned forward, going in for a kiss.
"No! We're leaving before my family gets home," Raito ordered, pushing L out toward the car. "They don't know that I'm going on a date with a patient of mine. And they'll have a fit if they learn it's the infamous crazy stalker patient. I'll be on house arrest for the rest of my life," he spotted the fancy limo outside of his parents' house. "You rented a limo for our date?" he asked distastefully.
"Of course not, this is my own limo. I was going to bring one of the twenty sports cars but I figured a limo would give us more privacy."
Raito muttered, "Like we need privacy… I should have known you were rich, Ryuuga. Who else would be willing to run up an expensive doctor bill?"
"Please to not address me as Ryuuga Hideki anymore, please Raito-kun," L said, opening the limo door for the doctor. He slid in after Raito and signaled Watari to leave. "I picked that alias for reasons that are unimportant and now wish I hadn't. Please call me Ryuuzaki."
"That's still an alias though, isn't it?" Raito asked.
"Of course. Perhaps later I shall share my name…?"
"Wouldn't matter because this is the last day we shall see each other. Where are we going anyway?"
"I have yet to decide," L proudly exclaimed as if he's been practicing it for three hours straight before he arrived.
"You didn't pick out anything? That's one of the most idiotic…"
"Ah! I got it!" L tapped on the window separating the driver from the passengers. "Watari, please take us to the park. I believe all the equipment we need is in the back."
"Very good, sir."
Raito waited until the window was up before making his comment, "Why did your grandfather just call you 'sir'?"
"That is because Watari is not my grandfather. He is my most loyal companion."
"Is today 'Spill Out All Your Secrets Day'? Because I'm not falling for it, you know," the doctor huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"It might just be, Raito-kun." L answered with a crooked smile. He knocked on the window again, "Watari, please turn on some music." The window rolled up and soon loud music filled the limo.
"… Ryuuzaki? Why are you playing such… suggestive music?"
"I think it is catchy," he smiled as he started to sing off key to the song. "Join me Raito-kun!"
"No thank you."
"Do you not know the lyrics? It's easy to learn them. They repeat the same sentence almost the entire song."
"I know the song, Ryuuzaki."
"Did why doesn't Raito-kun sing along? I find this song quite like our life story."
"I do not think our life story revolves around the song, 'Shut Up and Sleep With Me'."
"I fail to see what is so funny, Raito-kun," L commented, shifting the bag on his shoulder. He stared, unamused, at the laughing doctor.
"We're playing tennis?" he wheezed out in between laughs, thinking tennis was the funniest thing since the original slip on a banana peel routine.
"Yes, of course. It is one of the very few exercises that I enjoy. Does Raito-kun not enjoy tennis?" L opened the tennis court door and allowed Raito to pass.
"You hacked into the NPA computer system to look at my personal file and you didn't even notice that I was the Junior High Champion?"
"Of 1999, yes I did notice, that's why I figured Raito-kun would enjoy a game of tennis," he handed him a racket. Raito took it and practiced swinging it around as if it has been ages since he last played.
"Do you think you can beat me? Or we here just for you to swell my pride?" Raito asked, gripping the racket.
"I believe Raito-kun's pride is swollen enough. I used to be the British Junior Champion," L answered taking his own racket, holding it normally unlike he did with everything else.
"British? You grew up in England?"
"I lived there for five years, yes,"
"Then you must be really good," he had a new determination in his caramel eyes. "It's been so long since I've had any real competition."
"I hope I am able to entertain Raito-kun enough," L noticed an empty court. "Let's use that one. We'll play three rounds. Best two out of three." L and Raito parted to their own respective sides of the court.
L bounced the ball once, twice before throwing it high in the air and, with a loud 'SMACK', struck it across the court. Raito had barely enough time to register the ball before sending it back toward his partner's side of the court.
"You… are a very good… player, Ryuuzaki…" Raito huffed out, shaking L's hand at the end of the game. "I didn't expect to lose…" Their game consisted of a continuous and partially never ending valley between the two and lasted nearly two hours. After twenty minutes of playing, a crowd had started to form and a betting table had started.
"I practice once every two weeks, if job permitted. While Raito-kun is also a very skilled player, he was a bit clumsy in the beginning before his grace appeared again. He must not practice that often. When was the last time you played?"
"1999," he admitted, "Tennis is no fun when you don't have a good partner to play against."
"Yes, I know the feeling," Raito handed L his racket and he stuffed his and Raito's in the bag. "I saw a chess table walking here, would you like to go? Chess is another subject where I can never find a worthy rival."
"I am also very good at chess," Raito boasted as he and L took a small pathway through the park. The park was small with lots of trees, bushes and flower gardens and a dirt pathway that spread out through the entire lot. They took a sharp turn to the left and spotted a chess table underneath a large oak tree.
"I, naturally, am also good at chess," L bragged back. He sat on the concrete chair and pulled his knees up to his chest. Raito rolled his eyes as he took the opposing chair.
"You can't sit normally ever, can you?"
"Perhaps I shall sit 'normally' later, Raito-kun. But this is chess and it requires the forty percent of reasoning ability that I would lose if I sit as you do."
"There is no way that your statement is correct. Has this ever been tested? Is actually proved that if you don't sit like a freak you'll lose forty percent of your reasoning ability?"
"Actually, yes," he answered pulling out a chess set from the drawer of the table. "I was given two different tests that, like an IQ test, would test my reasoning ability. I scored forty percent higher with my legs up," he held up two kings. "Pick your side, Raito-kun, black or white?" Raito plucked the black one from his fingers. "Black, Raito-kun? How interesting."
"I fail to see how it's interesting. It's black. I figured you would like the white one because it matches your shirt."
"The main reason why I like white is because it goes first. Another motto of mine is: 'He who moves first always wins.'"
"Do you really believe that?" Raito asked almost mockingly as he set up his pieces.
"I struck first in tennis and I was the victor, so, yes."
Raito grit his teeth and glared, "Don't think that's going to happen again. I'll cream you, Ryuuzaki."
"We shall see about that, Raito-kun," he said with a confident smile and picked up a white pawn.
"Checkmate," Raito laughed victoriously, reclining back in his seat. L scanned the board for a way to free his king but he had indeed lost and nodded his head. "What was that motto of yours again, Ryuuzaki? 'He who moves first always wins?' I think not."
"It was correct for our tennis match," L answered, with an attempt to strike Raito's inflated head with a needle.
"That was a game of physical power; chess is a game of intellects. That means I'm smarter than you! Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah!" he mocked, sticking out his tongue.
"Raito-kun acts like a three year old when he wins. I must make sure that doesn't happen again," L mused, as he cleared off the table and sloppily threw the pieces back into the drawer. "Let us continue, Raito-kun."
"Where to next?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious, "Another game?"
L bit his thumb, looking at the clouds. "I really don't know yet, Raito-kun. This date is all completely spontaneous. And before Raito-kun asks, no, he is not allowed to suggest anything."
Raito closed his mouth, embarrassed for being caught, "Well, you better figure it out soon. Walking around the part isn't the number one thing on my list."
As L looked toward the city of Tokyo, he spotted a billboard ad, "Raito-kun enjoys history and art, correct?"
"Yes. Why?" Raito noticed the advertisement, "An art museum? That's our next stop?"
"Yes. Raito-kun said he likes history and art and I've always wanted to attend such a place, so I think it is a perfect place to attend."
"I'm afraid I do not know much about art, Raito-kun. For that, I apologize," L muttered around his thumb. Raito paused in between gawking at the pictures.
"You have no need to apologize, Ryuuzaki. I don't know much about art, I just know how to appreciate it," the doctor answered and turned back toward the portrait of 'Woman Taken in Adultery' by Guercino. "I don't know the background his this portrait, only the fact that it's based off of the Bible passage about a woman who committed adultery and Jesus saved her from being stoned. All other aspects are lost to me but I can realize its beauty and significance."
"If it were up to me, we would be looking at pictures of candy," L nodded as he looked upon the solemn face of the woman.
"There won't be any in this museum," Raito rolled his caramel eyes. "This is history, not the Wonka Factory. What's with the sugar obsession anyway? You're going to work yourself into a diabetic coma one of these days because of it."
L bit his thumb once more before removing it from his lip. "I suppose you could say that candy to me is what religion is to others."
"A way of life?"
"No, more of a saving, I guess one could put it. Religion has saved people before from depression, drugs, alcohol, and, bad habits before just like sugar has saved myself from losing grip on reality and becoming robotic."
"Robotic?"
"My job requires a strong will to be able to put up with the long hours, stressful topics and relentless demands. Most break under pressure. I was taught to channel my stress through an object. I know people who have chosen objects such as toys, chocolate, video games and strawberry jelly. I have two, one of them being my obsession with sugar."
"And the other?"
"Top secret," he hummed joyfully, enjoying the juvenile game of hiding a secret from friends and proceeding to mock them. "Without sugar, I probably would have cracked as well. If Raito-kun had to have an object that is equivalent to my sugar, what would it be?"
"I won't tell you that," Raito replied with a copied sing-song voice that L had just used against him. "I barely know you, Ryuuzaki. First you tell me your name is Ryuuga Hideki then you tell me it was an alias and to call you another alias you randomly picked. I don't think your first name starts with an R at all."
"It does not," he nodded.
"I know nothing about you! You hack into the NPA files to learn about me then give me little to nothing in return. I know you have a stressful job, you enjoy sweets to the point where it makes me, as your doctor, want to increase your health insurance, you lived in England for five years where you got the title of British Junior Champion, play chess very well and have a lot of money."
"That's more than most people know about me. Raito-kun should feel privileged to hold so much information about me."
"It's barely anything!"
"I'm a secretive person, Raito-kun."
"That's the understatement of the century!"
"I have been giving Raito-kun pieces of my life throughout this date. I figured it would be easier for Raito-kun to love me if he knew me better. By the end of the date, you'll be given more tidbits."
"Like your name?"
"I might," L mumbled and started to walk down the corridor, out of the Baroque period and into the Italian Renaissance period. Raito followed with a small frown. "Do you like this painting, Raito-kun?"
The doctor snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the picture on the wall. "'The Creation of Adam'? This isn't the original portrait; the original is one the roof of the Sistine Chapel."
"I wasn't quizzing Raito-kun on his knowledge of the artwork. I asked if it was appealing to him or not."
"I suppose it's an interesting concept. I really don't believe that the entire human race started from Adam and Eve. There are some people who believe in the story, though, so God had to create the two of them somehow."
"The story of Adam also has an apple in it, much like our own, Raito-kun," L bit this thumb again, his wide eyes taking in every detail of the painting. "It was the fruit of forbidden while the apple you're forcing me to eat represents nothing but Raito-kun trying to keep himself away from me."
"Healthy. I'm trying to make you healthy. You can replace your 'object' with apples, can't you?" Raito growled out.
"No, I'm afraid I cannot. I have quite the addiction to sugar as of now. I've been through some particularly terrible withdrawal symptoms. Those apples of yours are nothing but trouble for me," L paused and took a step back from the painting to get a better view of it as a whole. "I can see it now!" L cried overdramatically, drawing attention from the art lovers in the room. "Raito-kun is holding up his poisonous apple up to a god! A death god! Because that's where apples will lead you, straight to death!"
Raito quickly covered the detective's mouth with his hand and smiled apologetically at the rest of the crowd. "I'm incredibly sorry about my patient. He suffers from schizophrenia and has terrible hallucinations about apples. As his doctor, I thought it would be nice for him to see some art but it looks as if I were mistaken. Please excuse us," he laughed sheepishly before dragging L to a secluded part of the museum. "To you they might lead to death, but to every normal human being the in the world, they're a healthy part of their diet. Don't you know how to act in public?" he hissed quietly, his hot chocolate eyes fuming.
"I don't go out in public much, so I suppose I don't," L answered truthfully. Raito slapped his palm to his forehead and soon his shoulders started to shake. Before L got a chance to ask him what was wrong, the young doctor burst out in the laughter, tears leaving streaks down his butterscotch colored cheeks. "Raito-kun? I fail to see what is so humorous, Raito-kun."
"Here I am, a gorgeous wealthy doctor who could get anybody I wanted, on a date with an awkward social retard whom I know absolutely nothing about including his name and job!" Raito laughed, wiping away a tear.
"Once again, I see no humor in our situation, Raito-kun," he pouted at the doctor's adjectives of himself. "I do not find myself to be an 'awkward social retard'."
"If you knew how people normally act and then take a step back to see how you behave, you'll see a big difference," Raito snickered, trying to stop his impolite laughter. "I'm sorry, Ryuuzaki. I didn't mean to act so cruelly. I shouldn't have laughed at you."
"It is quite alright Raito-kun. I am used to it, I suppose," L muttered back and started his walk to the Romanticism corridor.
Nearly three hours later, L and Raito left the art museum gossiping to themselves about their favorite art pieces. L noticed it was only eight, about an hour and a half before the time of their dinner reservation. He grabbed onto Raito's hand and dragged him in the opposite direction, back toward the park. L led him into the middle of the park where there was a spacious rose garden. Raito gawked at its beauty, mouthing an "Oh my god…"
The rose garden had no pathway, letting the wanderer explore throughout the sanctuary and gaze upon the tens of thousands of roses. Bushes upon bushes lined around and throughout the garden with bright roses peaking out of the green. Archways with rose vines crawling up them led into the garden. The setting sun set an eerily glow among the flowers.
"Do you like it?" L asked quietly even though they were the only ones there. "I used to go to rose gardens when I was little. They are exceptionally beautiful at sun rise and sun set." Raito silently nodded. L smiled and took the doctor's silence as an invitation to wrap his skinny arms around him.
"Ryuuzaki?" Raito asked in surprise.
L moved his lips toward Raito's ear and nibbled gently. "Raito-kun…" he whispered seductively. "You're… IT!"
Raito barely had time to register what L was doing before he felt a tap at his shoulder and saw the detective running further into the rose garden. "Ryuuzaki!" Raito yelled after him. "I refuse to play this childish game with you!"
"Raito-kun does not need to act so poise in an empty park," L teased, skidding to a stop. "Surely he can drop his pride and play a simple game of tag with me."
"Why would I do that?" he asked crossing his arms over his chest, "Tag is such a juvenile game. I haven't played tag since I was five."
L smiled at him, "I have never played tag before." Raito's eyes widened a bit, as if the tidbit of information the detective gave him actually struck a cord inside of him. L saw that flicker of consideration and drew it out farther by sticking his tongue out playfully at him. "Raito-kun believes he cannot do it. He doesn't think he'll be able to catch me. He must be like a sloth, so lazy and slow. He- Oh shit…" with that L sped away from a charging Raito.
"Get back here, Ryuuzaki, and say that to my face!"
"Raito-kun will hurt me if I do so I must keep running!"
"Don't think jumping over rose bushes will give you any lead! I'm just as good of a runner as you are!"
"Raito-kun is faster than I hoped he was. This is rather unfortunate."
"Yeah, for you it is!"
L leaped over a rose bush, only to get the hem of his jeans caught on a thorn. He tugged at it furiously but Raito was too close behind him, so close the doctor didn't have enough reaction time to avoid him. As he jumped over the bush, he collided into L and the jeans ripped causing the detective to fall off balanced. They tumbled down a small hill and landed in a heap of tangled limps at the bottom.
Raito's caramel eyes widened when he noticed the position they were in- L on top of him, lying in between his spread out legs and his hands were around his waist. If the doctor didn't know any better, he would have thought that L did this on purpose. Raito removed his own hands from L's neck and pushed on his chest. "Get off, Ryuuzaki!"
L grabbed Raito's hands and rolled off of him but leaned in close to his body. He held their hands together and intertwined their fingers, holding them over his heart. L laid his head on Raito's shoulder and sighed contently, "I hope Raito-kun does not mind if we stay like this for just a moment. I have never been to a rose garden with someone before, despite how many times I have been to one, and never realized how… enjoyable it is."
Raito continued to struggle for a short time before he gave up completely. He stared absent mindedly at the darkening sky. "Did you go to rose gardens in England?"
"Yes. They are quite popular there and there was one near the place I stayed in. It was much larger and grander than this one and it is the only thing I miss about England."
"You said you went there alone?"
"Raito-kun is full of questions today," L chuckled.
"That's because you never mention anything about your past until today and I'm simply taking the opportunity and running with it," Raito answered.
"Yes, you have a point," he muttered as he started to play with the hem of the doctor's shirt, "I stayed in an orphanage while I was in England. The other kids there were very intelligent, although not nearly as much as myself, and quite rude. They saw my small frame, large eyes, odd hair, dark circles, bad posture, simple clothes, and terrible social skills as a sign of weakness and proceeded to remind me of my flaws over and over again. I often escaped to the rose garden only five blocks down the road whenever I could with a large book of Shakespeare or Charles Dickens. Since I had to attend school at the orphanage, the only times I was able to visit my rose garden was at sun rise and sun set."
Raito kept his mouth closed and L appreciated it. He didn't need to hear any apologies for the past from someone who had no affiliation with it whatsoever. They stayed as they were watching the sunset until they could barely see the bushes on top of the hill. L pushed himself up first, standing up and brushing the dirt off of his pants. He held his hand out to Raito but he was denied.
"The dinner reservations are in about half an hour. It should take us about twenty four minutes to walk there from here. Ready to leave?" Raito nodded and followed L up the hill and out of the rose garden. L smiled to himself as he noticed the doctor glancing backwards at the garden before it was out of sight.
"I really can't accept this, Ryuuzaki," Raito said in astonishment. He shook his head, "I really cannot allow this."
"It's my treat, Raito-kun."
"Did you look at these prices?" Raito shoved the menu in front of his face. "Look at these! The cheapest entrée is eighty dollars! Why did you take me somewhere so expensive? I would be fine with a McDonald's or an Arby's!"
"Raito-kun is too good for a McDonald's or an Arby's," L consoled, pushing the menu back toward the doctor. "I am not in any way in need of money, Raito-kun. Affordability is none of your concern."
"We are at the most expensive and fanciest restaurant in Japan, sitting in the private, exclusive room that's used only for major politician and celebrities! And you're sitting like an ape like usual!"
"As I said, Raito-kun, affordability is none of your concern. And please do not mock my sitting position."
"But…"
"No buts, Raito-kun. The waiter will be here soon. If you don't decide, then I will." As if on cue, the waiter appeared, a perfected, fake smile plastered on his face.
"Good evening, gentlemen. My name is Megumi and I will be your waiter for this evening. May I start you off with some drinks?"
Raito looked down at the beverage section and visibly winced at the prices, "Water, please."
Megumi wrote it down and looked at L. "A Strawberry Daiquiri. But with Sprite instead of rum."
"A virgin, then?" the waiter laughed, writing down the order.
L smirked at Raito and licked his lips, "I like them virgins." The waiter laughed again and took his leave.
Raito shot the detective a dirt glare, "You bastard. What makes you think I'm a virgin?"
"Just a silly little hunch," L winked. Raito ignored the detective for the five minutes waiter took to get their drinks.
"Did you decide or do you need more time?" Megumi asked, flipping out his little notebook.
"I'll have the Roasted Salmon with Chipotle and Horseradish crust, please," Raito answered, handing over his menu to the waiter.
"Oh, dear, so many to choose from," L muttered, biting his lower lip. "I will have the Crepe Patisserie, the Shadowbrook Chocolate Meltdown, Vanilla Bean cheesecake, Tiramisu, and the Milk Chocolate Caramel cake," he smiled pleasantly at the shocked faces of Raito and Megumi. He shoved the menu at the waiter and waved his hand as if to dismiss him. Megumi quickly wrote it all down and left with a bow.
"That's not dinner!" Raito growled, "That's diabetes served on a plate!"
"As much as I appreciate Raito-kun as my doctor, we are on a date, not at a health convention." Raito didn't give in and glared. "Will Raito-kun feel better if we switch the subject?"
"I am not going to switch the subject! Ryuuzaki, your health is in great danger! Just think of all those calories and fat and…"
"Raito-kun, you need to learn how to stop working and enjoy the moment," L commented, taking a sip of his strawberry daiquiri. "Mhm… this is good!"
"Ryuuzaki!"
"Yes?"
"Can you at least eat one thing healthy today?"
"I am having a Strawberry Daiquiri, Raito-kun. And it's a virgin!" he took another sip. "In fact, maybe I'll have another." Raito sighed, frustrated. "Has Raito-kun's father told him any more about the case he is working on?"
The doctor looked up, blinking, "The case? No, he hasn't really. He mentioned that there was another victim about a week ago…"
"Does Raito-kun know anything about that victim?" Raito shook his head. "The victim had died of blood loss. He had freeze, electrical and chemical burned holes and holes removed by a scalpel. They were on his penis and on his back. The holes on his back were the ones that concerned me the most. They spelt out a message. The holes were arranged in a picture of a night scene with a moon and a crucifix. Moon, night, god."
"Raito Yagami," Raito whispered, eye wide. L nodded. "So… I'm the next victim…?"
"I currently hope not, Raito-kun. No other victim has appeared between then and now but I've been keeping a close eye on you."
"How? How are you watching me and why do you know all of this information?"
"To put it simply, Raito-kun, I am L."
Raito's mouth fell open and it was all L could do to not snicker. "L? The world's greatest detective? YOU? That's…" he paused. "Then you're the bastard you got me in trouble with my father!"
"It worked out in the long run," L muttered, biting his thumb, "I have received a report only this morning that there was a break in at your old apartment."
"What?! Why didn't I know about this sooner?"
"I kept it under wraps, Raito-kun. I did not want you to find out about this."
"This is my life we're talking about! I deserve to know about the case that could very well be the end of me!"
"It also puts you under a lot of stress and a lot of paranoia."
"I can handle stress and paranoia, Ryuuzaki," Raito pressed. "I'm a doctor working in the underground. I've been through it all."
"Yes, I've been wanting to ask Raito-kun about that," he said, taking another hit of his drink, "You seem like the kind of man with a strong sense of justice and a readiness to follow in your father's footsteps. I noticed your minor was Criminal Justice. You, with your intelligence, would make a fine detective. What made you want to be a doctor?"
Raito smiled slightly, "I was torn, actually, between being a doctor and a detective. My uncle was a doctor. I've never met him before but I've heard great stories about him. I grew to respect him and I respect my father, the detective. It was a hard choice. But then, around the time I was sending out college applications, my father said that the NPA needed an underground spy. I volunteered for the job immediately. The criminals of the underground trust me because they believe I have never revealed any secrets. They tell me of their plans, their problems, all while I check their reflexes. I repeat those back to the NPA. Most of the time, the criminals I work with are just lying low and there is no need to make any movements to arrest them. Then there are criminals who are mentally unstable and I send them to a mental asylum. There are also the ones that stupidly tell me their real name when they are on the wanted list and they find themselves arrest. Then, of course," Raito smirked, "There are the freaks that use the underground doctor only because he is not obligated to take real names."
"Like me."
"Like you."
"So Raito-kun is an unemployed spy of the NPA to keep an eye on the criminals and to report if something of concern arises?"
"In a nutshell, yes."
"Amazing," L smiled around his thumb. "I never knew. They don't have you listed in the NPA database. Criminals check that often though, so I'm not too surprised. I have a question, Raito-kun. When I would blackmail the patients, I was surprised to find that you have their real names and numbers saved in your database. Do all of them give you their real information?"
"Not all of them. You were just lucky, I guess," Raito laughed. "Most aren't too happy about giving me their number the first time they come because they heard I was a no information kind of doctor. But I only take a number to call them if anything comes up…"
"Like being told that their appointment is canceled?" L grinned, finishing his sentence.
"Yes, like that," Raito smiled back. "I was surprised, Ryuuzaki. I knew you were smart but I never thought you would be the greatest detective in the world. I should have guessed, though, you gave enough clues for me to guess at it."
"I suppose I did," L thought back, nodding. "How unfortunate, I should watch what I say. Now, I've grown tired of Ryuuzaki. Call me L, unless the waiter comes back."
"Another alias?" L beamed. "Do you get some sort of thrill when people don't know your real name?"
"No, it's just safer that way, Raito-kun."
"So what are you planning to do about my safety? You can't watch me forever and I can't stay at my parent's forever either. One day Isha will attack and if I'm at my parent's house, he might kill them too. I would never be able to forgive myself if they got hurt in the process."
L rolled his eyes up at the ceiling as if it were to have the answer written on it, "Raito-kun has a point. For the past week I had asked your father to give me regular updates on your being and he reported that you rarely leave your room, sans meals, but he does not know anything more than that. I have been watching your bedroom window from the cameras across the street. You do not leave your room from the windows but I cannot see what you are doing inside of it. The window curtains are thin enough for me to see you moving around at nighttime when the light is on but not enough to see during the day. What have you been doing? I'm curious."
Raito laughed sheepishly, "Origami, actually."
L's eye twitched, "Origami? I've been watching you relentlessly for a week for your wellbeing to find out you've been lazing around practicing origami?"
"It helps me relax and I figured I was in some sort of danger when you canceled all of my appointments only two days after warning me about Isha-san. So I made little origami stars for the past week. You know, L, they say that if you make one thousand, and make a wish for every star, they'll come true."
"Is that true?" L asked. "Maybe I should take up origami. I could use one thousands wishes come true." He took a sip of his strawberry daiquiri and found it empty. He frowned and set it to the side. "I would like to hear Raito-kun's knowledge of Erochikku Isha. He said last week that you would only share your information with a detective or policeman working on the case. Do I fall into that category?"
"I think being the world's greatest detective is somewhere within that category," Raito chuckled. "Erochikku Isha-san is a very quiet man. He never stuck out to me, he was just there. He came in once every three months for a checkup and was always in good health. He didn't seem to like me very much but I never saw how he interacted with other people so I did not know if it was just me he disliked or people in general. I guess it was pretty much just me, in a way.
"Isha came in once looking worse than usual. I had asked him what was wrong but he quickly shook his head and ran into the bathroom to throw up. That was about four months ago; it was around the time when I discovered my medical books missing. Now that I think about it, Isha-san must have quickly searched for the books on his way to the bathroom. They are located in the room next to it, after all. I assume he snuck into my clinic that night to steal them. He came back two months later in a real jittery mood with a light concession and sprained ankle. This was unlike him and I was surprised when he actually confided in me. He told me that he had been doing some experiments lately. I didn't know about the Doctor Fraud Cases at the time so I didn't connect the two but I knew whatever he was doing wasn't good. I asked him what he was doing and he answered that his next experiment will start at the Ageha. I remembered my father telling me about some crazy killer finding his victims in clubs so as soon as Isha had left I call him."
L had been listening closely and mentally took notes, having a keen memory, "Did you ever see Isha again?"
"No, he hasn't shown up since. I told him I wanted to see how his ankle and head was clearing up and to come in two weeks but he never showed. He normally comes once every three months so if he decided to go back to his schedule, he will come again next month."
L bit his lip, "Maybe that's when he'll come after you. During his next visit."
Raito twitched, "That's lovely to think about."
"My apologizes, Raito-kun, but I want this case cleared up as soon as possible. Preferably by next month. It's the start of this month, making it month five of the Doctor Fraud Cases. I will make sure Erochikku is caught by the beginning of next month at the very least. You can count on me, Raito-kun."
"L, I…"
"Here are your orders, gentlemen!" Megumi said cheerfully, popping out of nowhere. He carried a large tray and carefully set it upon a fold out stand. He placed Raito's salmon down with a warning that it was very hot. Megumi then moved to L and handed off all five desserts. He bowed and left them alone.
L pointed to Raito's dish. "Tell me how you like it, Raito-kun. This restaurant is famous for their salmon, or so I hear. They are also very famous for their dessert," he dug right into his Tiramisu, savoring each bite. He finished it in record time and grabbed his cheesecake next. He looked over toward Raito stiffly eating his salmon in small bites with a crestfallen expression. L frowned, "What's wrong, Raito-kun? Is the salmon not cooked to your liking? Should I call the waiter back? I could get this restaurant to go out of business if it's that bad…"
"No, L, it's not the salmon," Raito mumbled.
"But… does it taste good?"
Raito glanced up at L's devastated frown. "No! I mean, yes! It's the best salmon I've ever had. But… I guess my mind's just not on the food. It's not every day you hear that you that you have a month to live at best."
"Raito-kun does not have a month to live while I am on this case," L said confidently. "I have never lost a case once and this will not be my first one. I know who the culprit is; all that I need now is to find him. It shouldn't take that long."
"L, you've known Isha-san is guilty for the past two months. He should be caught by now."
The detective pouted, "I'm trying, okay? I've been worried sick about you for the past few weeks and it has been very distracting to me."
"You've been worried?"
"Of course, I…" he paused and Raito stared at him, waiting. Twenty seconds later, L picked up his fork and shoved it into his cheesecake. "It doesn't matter at the moment, Raito-kun. Right now, all that matters is your safety and Isha's capture."
"R-right."
They ate in silence for the rest of the dinner. When the check came, L refused to show Raito-kun the amount and paid for it with a credit card. Megumi smiled and thanked them on their way out. Outside, Watari was parked waiting for their return. L and Raito climbed into the back and sat in silence as Watari drove toward Deputy Yagami's house.
Music started to play, the same song that was playing on the way to the park only a few hours ago. "Shut up and sleep with me, come on why don't you sleep with me? Shut up and-"
"Watari, please turn off the music," L ordered. The song was instantly cut.
The limo pulled into the Yagami's driveway and Watari cut the lights so he didn't wake up the residents. L unclipped his seatbelt and followed Raito to the doorstep. "You don't have to come, L," he said.
"I want to." Raito didn't argue and let him follow. When they reached the door, they turned awkwardly toward each other and just stood there, looking at each other, waiting for the other to move first. "Did you enjoy yourself?"
"It…" L cut him off by gently pressing his lips to Raito's. He closed his eyes and waited for Raito to either pull him in whispering he needed and loved him just as much as L does or push him away and slam the door in his face. But Raito did neither. He stood there dumbfounded as if this was the first time they had ever kissed and it was completely unexpected. They stood that way for about six seconds before L's cell phone went off.
L pulled back, frowning. Raito stared at the detective, caramel eyes wide and his cotton candy lips moist. L pressed a button on his cell phone. "That was my alarm, Raito-kun. It is now midnight, Wednesday. The bet is over. You have won, Raito-kun. You did not kiss back. As promised, I will stay away from your office and eat apples. As they say, an apple a day will keep the doctor away," L smiled sadly. "Goodbye, then, Raito-kun."
He took a step back and walked to his limo. He climbed in and signaled Watari to leave. As the limo pulled out of the driveway and down the street, L dared himself to look back at the doctor, only to find Raito exactly where he had left him.
Betcha didn't see that one coming, did ya? Hope it didn't disappoint.
Homework for the next chapter(yes there is homework, don't grumble): Listen to the song 'Endlessly' by Muse. It's a fantastic song and it'll be mentioned once or twice. And if you have any time, please read my Death Note one-shot. It's been out for a while but I figured I should shamelessly promote it.
Review! Tell me that you want to beat me up with a baseball bat or give me chocolates made from mud. Go ahead, do your worst. Or don't and tell me that you love me. I like that more.
End Part L