Chapter Title: Bullet and a Target
Disclaimer: Death Note isn't mine. If it were... this is pretty much what would have happened, actually.
Rating: R
Pairing: Kira/L
Comments: As a random thing, for anyone going to Portland's Kumori-con, I'll be going this year...! I should be there at some point most of Saturday and all Sunday. Most of my time will be spent in the Artist's Alley hanging out with my sister-in-law and my sister, who will probably have neon-orange hair, but possibly blonde. Either way, she's... well, you'll notice her. She's generally covered in strawberries. And their table will probably have at least one BJD, maybe more. I'll be the one with a long braid and glasses reading yaoi manga while sitting on the floor. (I will possibly have tentacle arms on.)
Sorry it's a short chapter! It's more of a teaser really...
An early rise the next morning got Light and L out of the Hotel Atlantico just before noon to catch their taxi to the airport.
As they traveled through the city with Ryuk flying behind, the two shared a thoughtful and companionable silence, ignoring the taxi driver's attempts at small-talk. The radio droned on to fill the quiet between them with reports on traffic in the city, what music had been played and what the local government was up to. It also, of course, included an updated account of the rash of criminals murdered the day before by Kira. Light's lips twitched as they attempted to repress a smile at L's blank expression taking on an edge of reproach and exasperation as he met Light's eyes in the reflection of the window.
They made it to the airport in under half an hour. Hauling their bags from the trunk and shouldering them, they fell into step, Light's graceful determination tailored to match L's quick shuffle. Being the uninjured of the two, Light had earned himself more bags to carry. In minutes, the two were through the entrance to Terminal 2 in MAD and heading to the counter to retrieve their tickets.
Neither paid attention to the security guard who had been posted near the doors until Ryuk, glancing behind them, hesitated. "Uh... hey, Light," he prompted.
Kira grimaced faintly. "Not now," he told the shinigami in an undertone, dismissing Ryuk's words as a preface to another plea for apples. L slowed, however, looking back at the monster with a thumb to his lips. Sighing in irritation, Light glanced at his human companion. "Well?"
Ryuk hovered in the air a moment, then swung his head back to Light. "I was just thinking, that guard was watching us..." He chuckled. "Maybe your luck is out?"
"I doubt it's anything like that--" Light's words were cut off as a small group of officers, all with hastily-pulled-on helmets to shield their faces from view, surrounded them with guns drawn. Ryuk floated up above one of the officers, surveyed the scene, and threw his head back in a hair-raising laugh of delight.
Two men in darker uniforms with distinct patches on the left shoulders stepped forward, visors covering their faces beneath their flak helmets. Both had rifles trained on Kira and L.
"We need you to come with us for questioning," one asserted in Spanish, though the situation would be clear enough without words. He repeated his statement in heavily accented English just in case.
Light and L stood still with their hands up, minds working on a way out of this situation, as the tourists and citizens in the airport either fled with shouts at the sight of the guns or crowded closer to see what their police force had dragged up.
Light's mind was just drawing a blank when the screech of metal and an implosion of glass came from the direction of the entrance.
A jeep had burst through the entrance doors. It swerved to a stop with a crunching of glass shards, and Aiber, hair dusted with more of the glass remains and teeth bared in a roguish grin, shouted a greeting to L. The police switched their guns instinctively to this new threat, ignoring the curses of the better-trained operatives in the darker uniforms.
Without any more prompting, L dropped his bag and took hold of Light's arm to race for the jeep, moving in an oddly loping way. Jerked along, Light gritted his teeth. "How do you know we can trust him?!" he snapped.
"If Light-kun has another plan, he may explain it later," L responded shortly.
Shots rang out suddenly as the citizens all scrambled to get out of the way. A line of bullet holes appeared in the side of the jeep and two of the windows exploded. One narrowly missed L's head-- and Light screamed, staggering in his run as a bullet passed through his leg.
With L's desperate help, he collapsed into the backseat around the bags, and L vaulted into the passenger side seat, closing the door as Aiber gunned the engine and tore out the way he'd come in.
A/N:
Is it wrong after this long to say that Light getting shot kind of makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside? I got tired of Light being on his high-horse and L forced into a depression over having a set of morals, and Light's weirdly fun to torture.
That said, I have to buckle down for more studying to get chapter 13 done. It should be considerably longer than this-- I just wanted to try a cliffhanger for once! Bullet and a Target is by Citizen Cope. Also, I still think "MAD" is about the coolest airport acronym ever. Go Madrid-Barajas airport!
Comment responses: (There were a lot of these! Made me happy, but this one's short enough I'll try to be more brief in replies so I don't take twice the space.)
Amorpheous: Yay! Long review. Sayu is a great char to me, it's sad she didn't get more time in the series-- I think it would be interesting. Heh, and it amused me that you pointed out Ide's mutter about what he thought Sayu was complaining about! Misconceptions are also fun to write. All of your character-comments make me very happy! Makes me relax a little about trying to keep on track.
Star Jinin: Subconscious Light may/may not make a comeback, and I'm trying to figure out an ending that won't quite involve everyone dying! We'll see, it's ambiguous right now. If I make you like Near I'll be pleased and amazed!
recipe for insanity: I'm sorry...! I usually put this up on AFF a few days earlier because I only get a few reviews there-- it's easier for me to reply quickly and post, then run to work. I usually have to steal time, so it takes a few days to make it over here. Thank you for the review! And, sorry, Light's hurt. (He won't die from it, and will in fact probably be mocked.) I'm still thinking about an ending.
vAMpxCHecKeRS: Thank you very much-- I'm glad you like my writing. (I'm also guessing this chapter will not take an hour to read.) Very happy it redeemed Near for you! And that you liked the Sayu parts-- they were stuck in my head for months.
Sexykill69: Thanks! I don't think I'm at the top, but it makes me happy you think so. Research is fun for me. Always keep goals, though! And Sayu very may well have some Near mishaps-- it depends.
Japanimaniac13: Wow-- that makes me happy, then, I'm really glad you comment so regularly! Also, it's definitely Mello with the man-PMS, Light's just a bastard. (Still, I sort of like bastards.) Annnd yes, Matt could have definitely used some Kevlar. Your whole comment made me really happy. And it's wonderful that the story's making you care about the other chars-- I was a bit worried about annoying people with not focusing only on Light and L. Sayu, I think, was not given enough credit in the series, but Sachiko-- you're right, she only had two scenes or something, very small.
Emma Stargaze: L's position will be a little more comfortable for him soon! Thank you.
Arathe: Wow-- thanks so much for that! The sex scenes tend to make me very self-conscious and convinced they're ridiculous. (Also, glad I got you into fight sex! It's the best thing.) Welcome to the story!
xgothic-rosex: Them being caught would prooobably not be cute, but it's good that you liked the lollipop scene!
Believe Bridesmaid: Watari was born in 1933, so the answer to "how old is he?" is "old enough that he shouldn't be hanging out of helicopters sniping at murderers." Most old guys are happy enough with walking the dog or remembering where they parked the car-- Watari's an over-achiever. We're getting to L's part soon! He'll be doing more thinking minus his emo-side, and he'll be on the upswing from now on. Figured it was time to knock Light down a few pegs! (Also, Near doesn't necessarily usually sleep with the Sayu doll, he was just thinking about her a lot in relation to Kira so wanted the toy with him. And besides, Sayu is cute and maybe her hitting him kinda reminds him of Mello. I don't know where that sub-plot is going, but it's got possibilities!)
Pluto: It was set-up! And then this chapter is even more set-up. How mean. I'm sorry! (Also, thanks for the comment!)
PanickedSerenity: Thank you for your comments, and I'm happy you like the story so far!
Opacus: Keeping them IC is what I aim for...! It's fun, but sometimes a pain. Thanks!
Dizzykins: Glad you enjoyed this part too...! Thanks for the review on GM as well.
shadowsole, alx-nichole, Loveless-Love: Thank you all!
