A/N: I edited this chapter as best as I could, but I was in a hurry, so if you catch something, let me know. I'll fix it. Other than that, happy reading!

The next morning Matt stared at the board. Physical Science had to be the dullest subject ever. Who really cared about all that complicated crap, so early in the morning? He preferred computers and electronics and all the stuff he was good at. The stuff that impressed Mello and L. Everything else, well, he could really just do without.

But with physical science mandatory, he tried to stay focused. He tried to keep his attention on the board and the teacher but it was near impossible. His eye lids began to droop and his hand and arm, the only things propping him up, were sliding across his desk and out from under his head. However, before he could fall, Kei decided to be a good sport and kick the gamer's foot.

Matt sat up quickly with a jolt. "What?" He asked around sleepy.

Kei watched him, chuckling slightly. "I just saved you from taking a major face dive on the desk. Stay awake."

"Thanks." Matt blinked several times before glancing over at Mello, whose assigned seat was in the front of the class room. Mello appeared to be working rather hard. To beat Near no doubt. Matt drifted his eyes over to Near who sat two seats over. The white haired boy seemed to be memorizing the boards contents. Matt almost lost his mind. How did Near and Mello get so competitive? And why do they give everything they have to be the new L? Seriously, shouldn't they have their own desires? Their own dreams? Maybe he just thought that because he had his own dreams.

Matt looked back over at Kei. His roommate was diligently taking notes, catching up on the notes he just missed. He was late doing…something. Matt couldn't remember the excuse. Only that Kei was around twenty minutes late for class this morning…again. Although, it was strange that he was forming a habit of being late when he left every morning before Matt was even awake.

Maybe Kei had a secret lover too. Matt instantly smiled. That made a little sense. Maybe Kei and this person were sneaking around together the same way he and Mello snuck around. But who would it be? Matt glanced around the room. Who would have common interests with Kei? Surely not Michelle. Not Casey, she's seeing Michael. Not Bonnie because she and Kei practically hate each other the way Mello and Near despise one another. And certainly not Malinda; she was far too into her studies hoping to become a doctor someday.

Or… was it a guy?

But which guy? Mello was taken, Matt was taken, actually, a lot of the guys were taken. Well…except Near.

Could Near and Kei… NO.

No?

Matt looked back over at Near. The white haired, intelligent boy was not too bad to look at. He was actually kind of, well, cute. In a strange, creepy kind of way. His smile was not all that bad and his hair was pretty soft and he was smart. Sometimes he was alright to even hang out with and his card towers were kind of cool when you thought a bout it. Plus he always seems to know where Kei is at. He claims he pays attention, but is it because he pays too much attention?

Wow. Wouldn't that be something? Kei and Near a couple would really be interesting.

Or maybe Matt's imagination from all this boredom in class was really getting out of hand.

A knock on the door brought the gamer back into reality. When the teacher allowed the knocker in, everyone stared as Watari entered the room. "I will needing to speak with young Matt. If he may be excused from his lessons."

All eyes in the classroom turned to look intently at Matt. He locked eyes with Mello, who looked nervous. Matt gave him a confident smile before standing and gathering his things. As he moved threw the rows of desks, Matt's eyes locked oddly enough with Near, whose expression was as blank as Matt's page of notes. It gave the red head a chill or two, but he shrugged it off. That imagination of his was getting pretty wild. Once out in the hall and heading towards the elevator, Matt asked, "So what does L want? I know that's why you need me."

"L has something he would like to ask of you."

"Ask me? Like what compassion and sympathy are?" They stepped onto the elevator just as Watari smiled amused. He could agree that L was in need of some retraining in the empathy department as of lately, but he feared it was already way out of hand.

"I believe," Watari explained, "that L had an important assignment for you. Something he feels only Matt can do."

Matt looked doubtful. "Yeah I guess someone has to take Kira out for a walk when L is too busy being an ass."

The elevator came to a stop, dinged, and opened it's doors for the two. Matt stepped out first, heading down the hall to Mello's room. When he reached it, the door was open for him. Inside, L was in his typical position at his computer, eating some type of fruit and drinking tea. Matt's eyes did the instinctual search for Kira and found him in boxers sitting at the chess table deciding on his next move as he ate a bag of M&Ms.

"Thank you for coming Matt."

"It's not like I had a choice, did I? Because believe me, if I had a choice I wouldn't be here."

L smiled sweetly. "Yes you would. You promised Kira a city that began with the letter E."

Matt sighed defeated. He was sick of Wammy's and what it stood for. He was sick of everyone and their deductive reasoning. But mostly, he was sick of L. Matt glanced over again at Kira who was now looking up at him with those innocent, but blank eyes waiting for Matt to make the next move in their alphabet game. But Kira was someone he was suppose to hate, but L made it so damn difficult when he treated Kira, a living being, like a dog. Like an obedient, brainwashed prisoner.

Quietly, Matt brought his hand up to his vest pocket, feeling the round tennis ball inside. He began to pull it out when L said, "You were right though. I want you to place surveillance around Wammy's."

Matt's breath caught and he paused his hand turning to L. "What?"

"I want you to place cameras all over the school."

"Cameras? What for?" His voice rose, almost yelling, and Kira trembled softly, sliding down into his chair like a three year old at the dinner table. The young pet had had enough of loud shouting.

"To catch the owner of your notebook. It's a last resort."

"But that's illegal. And unethical. You can't do that."

"The hell I can't. I can do whatever I want. Now will you do this?"

"But everyone will need to know. You would have to give me a day to go to Roger and speak with him and the faculty."

"No. You will not be notifying anyone. This will be top secret." L jumped up out of his chair focusing on Matt. His hands went into his pockets as he slouched like always, yet he was still much taller than Matt.

But the gamer wouldn't be intimidated. "You can't do that! That's wrong. Isn't it Watari?"

Watari only looked away from Matt's eyes. He hadn't the answers anymore. They were both right and wrong it seemed. "The school needs to be protected." He said. "If there is a killer, then, we must do our best to protect the children."

L smiled. "See Matt? Watari agrees."

"No he doesn't. He just agrees that we need to do something."

"Yes and that something will be cameras. How else do you suppose we catch him? I'm running out of options Matt. I can't just go around announcing to everyone at Wammy's that there is a killer running around the buildings. This school has lost six faculty members. There names were written in this notebook. You read them yourself. Everyone at Wammy's , including myself, believed it was real heart attacks and accidents without the work of Kira because he was caught by L, me. But now, if Matt goes around telling them Kira has returned, what sort of panic do you think you will cause?"

Matt had to stop and think about that. L was right. Everyone would panic. No one would trust anyone.

L continued, "Besides, the innocent should have nothing to hide. Only I and Watari will watch the footage. I don't see why, when dealing with the lives of children and innocent people, we should not use every means necessary. Unless…does Matt have something to hide perhaps?"

The fifteen year old gulped. He did, didn't he? "No. What would I have to hide?"

"Really? Nothing at all? No sneak outs in the middle of the night past curfew? No running around with boys in the woods?"

Matt's jaw could have dropped. How the hell-

"The view from Mello's balcony here is not so bad. Sure the woods are quite a ways off but when I saw the blonde and red hair I made an educated guess. I'm sure I'm not the only one who saw the two of you."

Matt bit his lip. He suddenly had an overpowering urge to punch the lights out of L. "We were-"

"I don't particularly care what you were doing. I can make an educated guess to that as well. But you should know that with the cameras I won't be informing Roger of any misconduct not pertaining to this investigation. Is that a deal?"

No, Matt thought. It's not a deal. How can I make that a deal? You can't put cameras up around the school. It's wrong to watch people without them knowing. It was illegal in Japan and it's illegal here.

But there was the innocent to think of. And Mello. Sweet, suspicious Mello.

"I don't know L. Maybe."

"I need you to decide now, Matt."

"That's not something I can decide so easily. If Roger doesn't know and I get caught, I could get in so much trouble."

"So you're putting yourself before innocent lives of children?"

"Don't put words into my mouth! I could never do that!"

At the sudden and loud outburst Kira whimpered as he covered his ears with his hands. Matt watched him and frowned feeling sorry for him. So much violence was probably getting to him. It was likely that he heard L yell all of the time. Matt walked over to the 'pet' and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Hey, hey, what is this? Don't get scared." Matt pulled Kira's hands from his ears. "You're okay dude. No one is yelling at you."

Still the pet cowered down in his chair, shaking. Matt felt terrible for shouting. He looked at L for help but the genius looked uninterested.

"Hey." Matt said. "I know what will make you feel better." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tennis ball. "Have you been missing something?"

Kira's eyes widened and he reached for the ball, but he as his fingertips touched the soft fuzzy surface, he pulled back as if the ball were on fire. Matt didn't understand. "You love your ball. What's wrong?"

L bit his thumb hiding his smirk from Matt. "Very obedient Kira. Matt, put the ball away, he can not have it."

"What? Why?"

"He lost that privilege."

Matt looked at Kira. The 'pet' looked like he was about to cry. Matt placed the ball on the table. "That's not fair, L."

"Oh? Tell me, why is that?"

"Even real dogs can have a toy."

"Yes, but he is a murderer. Will Matt place the cameras up or no? I need to know now."

Matt sighed frustrated. He did not want to place cameras up around the school. He wanted to go back to normal. He lifted his hand and ran it through Kira's hair. Like every time before, the strands were soft to the touch. Together he and Kira shared a short smile. "Alright." Matt said. "I'll do it. Whatever you want."

"Thank you."

"No, don't thank me. I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for Mello." He looked back again at Kira's eyes. "And for him. You have to give him his ball back." Watari chuckled and L sneered at the idea, but with no other choice, he agreed. "I will return the ball until this new Kira is caught."

"No you have to give it back for real."

"No."

"L!"

"Matt!"

More frustrated than he could ever recall being, Matt flipped one of the chess pieces off the board and onto the floor. "Then you have to tell Roger! I will not step foot into another persons room without permission." Matt tightened his grip around Kira's trembling shoulders for comfort.

"If Roger tells you personally that you have permission then you will do as I say?"

"Yes. I will." It was a tough decision, but Matt felt he made the right one.

"Alright. Watch Kira for me. Kira, obey him. Don't leave the room. Watari, you come with me."

Matt and Kira watched as L left guiding Watari to the elevator. The tension in the room immediately vanished. Matt rolled the ball towards Kira. "Take it. It's yours again. For now anyways."

Shyly, Kira picked up his ball. Matt moved to sit on the bed. For the first time in his life he had really stood up to L. Sure they had fights over smoking and games and his closeness with Mello, but it hurt to have come to blows as they had just done. L may be L. But he was wrong. Matt knew that. Hell, just taking one good look at Kira now could show you that.

While Matt was lost in thought, Kira and his ball made their way over to the bed to sit beside Matt. "It's your turn."

Matt's eyebrows scrunched together confused. "My turn…? Oh! You mean in the ABC game." He laughed a little. "We're still playing? Okay. Uhm….Eagar, Arizona."

"Frank land, Florida."

"Greeneville, Tennessee."

"You didn't have to do that."

Matt tensed at first, then forced himself to relax. "It was just the right thing to do." "Thank you."

"Don't. You probably won't get to keep it very long."

Kira shrugged. "Five minutes is better than no minutes."

Matt felt himself smiling. "Right."

There was a moment of perfect silence, then a short whispered, "I'm sorry" from Kira.

"What are you sorry for?"

"You may have ruined your chances at becoming the new L someday. He was mad. You shouldn't have went against him. You should just do as he says."

So Kira really was brainwashed. Here he was, holding a damn tennis ball with a metal collar around his neck like an animal, and he was warning Matt about his future? "Look, Kira, I'm not going to let him boss me around. You might be his dog, but I'm not. Besides, who says I want to be the next L?"

"Don't you?"

"No. I don't want to be L at all. Maybe a long time ago, when I was little, but I don't have the passion for it. Not like the others. I have bigger dreams."

It went quiet again. Neither really knowing what to say. Finally Kira said, "But don't you want to be like him? Aren't you one of three?"

Matt sighed. "I won't be for long. My grades are slipping because I'm bored. Kei and his perfect grades in science will eventually take my place as third. L even knows it. Why do you think someone who is so smart that he's in line to be the new genius detective, couldn't list the Elements in Chemistry according to their symbol? No I love-"

"Technology."

"Yeah." Matt smiled realizing someone finally understood him. "Computers. Cameras. I like working with the technical equipment no one else wants to bother with. I like working for someone. I like having one job of getting in, setting up the surveillance in the right spot, then getting out and leaving it up to the others." Suddenly, Matt was standing with his fists up, excited for once that someone was listening and understanding. He reminded Kira of one of those characters in an Anime from Japan. "It's almost like being a secret agent or something. I'm totally cool and for me it's easy. I don't care about anything else. I can be in my own world without the weight of the world on my shoulders. I can be my own person and use my real name. I can just-"

"Relax."

Matt smiled again sitting back beside Kira. His friend. "Yeah. Relax. It's not a competition. I don't like to compete. But the others…well, they don't get that. I want to work for Mello or Near. Whoever gets the title in the end. That's all I want."

A second moment of silence fell over them. It seemed they were both processing what was said. Especially Matt. He couldn't believe he had just suddenly confessed what he'd been hiding to a mass murderer. Kira didn't care about Matt, he had his own problems with L.

Matt looked into those dull eyes that were looking into his own. It seemed Kira was trying to sympathize, but Kira was the one with the real problems. "I'm sorry, Kira. You're the one who should be complaining. You have it harder than me. You…you…"

And that's when it happened. Matt's mouth met Kira's in a soft, frightening kiss. At first their lips grazed, barely touching at all. The most Matt could feel was the other's hot breath on his face. Then suddenly, Matt found himself using his tongue to push open Kira's mouth, for whatever reason his mind couldn't figure out. And soon their tongues were working together, touching and sliding around in their mouths. Before he could even attempt to stop himself, Matt had a hand in Kira's hair and another on his knee.

Kira inched closer, frightened at first, but when Matt put his hands on him he let lose and allowed Matt whatever he wanted.

It took only a minute but Matt's senses came back in full force. "Stop. Stop. We cant." He pushed Kira gently off. "I can't do this. There's Mello."

"Alright."

"I mean, it's nothing against you. You're beautiful. You're intelligent. You're a lot of things. But I just can't."

"Alright."

"Stop saying that. It's not all right. I jut kissed a murderer and a prisoner of L's. But…" He looked back at Kira who was watching him intently. He leaned back into Kira's personal space, and kissed his lips again. When Kira didn't pull back, they began where they left off, leaving Matt still unsure of why they were doing this at all when it was beyond wrong.

With his hands folded neatly and placed under his chin, Roger respectfully told L, "No."

"Roger you don't understand. I have nothing else. It's the only way."

"The faculty won't like it one bit. They would never agree to it."

"Why get their permission? They're criminals. They should be glad they have the freedom they have."

"You may be right, but I won' t risk it."

"That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair."

L laughed. He was actually amused by that. He looked at Watari and asked, "Can he be fired?"

Watari shook his head. "No. Roger does not work for you. He works for me."

"Well then you should fire him. Roger you are endangering the life of everyone who lives here."

"Then so be it. I can not have hidden cameras laying around here to be discovered. I just can't. Find another way."

"There is no other way."

"Then so be it. You have the notebook. The weapon. This person should be forced to back down."

"No! They won't. They need to be punished for their crimes. I will punish them. I will see that they pay for the murders they have committed."

Watari grabbed L's shoulder pulling him back. "I think you should leave it alone, L."

"I can't leave it alone when there's a murderer under this roof."

Roger grunted as he watched L. "Is that what this is really about, saving the children? Or is this your chance to become justice again?"

L's eyes widened at the insult. Who did Roger think he was? "How dare you. I never asked to be L, remember? If I recall when I was seven that was chosen for me!"

"L calm down." Watari demanded, fearing Kira would eventually be revealed in the heat of the moment. "It's not worth fighting over. We will come up with another way. And maybe Roger is right. Maybe this new Kira has given up. We can't risk the faculty becoming suspicious of us. They work for us. We need them."

"You should never have hired criminals to come into Wammy's." L said. "They should all be behind bars. If they were then I could catch this new Kira and show him what justice truly means."

"Fine." Roger said, disgusted with himself and the attitude L carried. He wanted this person caught as well, but he wouldn't give permission for this. "If you want cameras put them up. But you do not have my permission. If you do it, you are still going against my decision. I will not help you if anything happens. But go ahead, risk everything."

"I won't need your help." L shoved his hands into his pocket, and left Roger's office.

Watari stayed behind a moment. "Roger," He said. "I fear for the safety of everyone."

"As do I Quillish."

Watari sighed heavily. "I fear for L as well. Maybe more so."

"As do I. But he was chosen for this. We have to go with it."

"I'm not so sure anymore."

Roger looked at his old friend. He wasn't sure anymore either. A Death Note in Wammy's meant no one could be trusted. And lately, that included L too.

As L reentered the bedroom, he stopped cold in his tracks as his black eyes laid on his successor and his pet kissing. He folded his arms and leaned against the doorway, watching and clearing his throat. "Now don't let me interrupt."

"Shit!" Matt scrambled off the bed, almost losing his balance and falling. Kira watched Matt worried that he would fall. He stood to help him, but when he corrected himself, Kira let lose a breath of air in relief. He then turned to his Master to see how mad he might look. It was very.

"Get out Matt. Take the ball with you."

Not wanting to argue, but mostly scared, Matt snatched the tennis ball from Kira's hand and left the room bumping into Watari on his way out.

As soon as Matt was out of the room, L slammed and locked the door behind him. "May I ask what the hell the two of you thought you were doing?"

"It-I- don't know."

"You don't know?"

Kira shook his head frantically. "No Sir."

"Sir. How very polite of you."

"I just want to make you happy."

"Happy?" L began moving towards his pet slowly, and Kira began to move away from his Master just as slowly, until his back bumped against the closed door of the balcony. "You thought kissing one of my successors on my bed would make me happy Kira?"

It was more of a mumble than a whisper. L almost didn't catch the sentence, but he made out two words. "Being polite."

"Ooooh." L said, pretending to understand. "Is that what you were doing with Matt, treating him with politeness? How very well mannered of you Kira. Too well mannered."

"Y-you said to obey him.."

"Did I? And that included kissing?"

"I don't know. But-"

"But?"

"I didn't know what to do, Master. "

"You shouldn't have done anything. But let me ask this, do you know what you're going to do now?"

Kira shook his head, tripping over his own feet like Matt as he slid his back against the balcony door before going behind the chess table to keep distance between them.

"No? Oh come on, Kira. Give it a try. This is easy."

Kira began a string of stutters as he saw that L was still moving toward him, edging across the room as he talked, gliding around the chess table between them. There wasn't any place that Kira could go, if he could've moved. He couldn't quite absorb it. What he'd done with Matt. How he had angered Master, who looked like he always looked. Stringy black hair, dark eyes and his perfect nose. Yet he was so angry that Kira could feel it in the air they breathed. The old scars on his legs began to ache.

L was nearer than Kira knew when he lunged at him, picking him up bridal style and throwing him onto the bed with his strength. Then L jumped on the bed, dropping down, and pinning Kira's writs above his head with his hands. "I'm in very good shape Kira. I wouldn't struggle much if I were you. You may wish you hadn't." L dropped his face to Kira's ear and whispered playfully, "But if struggling turns you on, be my guest."

Kira gasped, and instantly began to struggle. To get away. It was all he could think of. But L was swift in his movements. He let himself sit on Kira's waist, holding him down as he lifted his arms over his head momentarily to remove his white shirt.

Somewhere deep in the pet's conscience, he knew to kick in the groin. He knew to scratch the face. Go for the eyes that deep voice said sternly. Always for the eyes.

But…who had taught him that?

He began to try. As he raised his arm to go for L's eyes his master had already removed the shirt completely. "No no no, Kira." L grabbed both wrists in one hand and reached behind into his back pocket, "Remember these?" He pulled out the all too familiar silver handcuffs.

Kira whimpered, thrashing around as hard as he could, trying to pull his arms from L, his messy hair falling into his eyes. He opened his mouth to scream-

But who would rescue a murderer?

Anyone?

Kira's body went limp. He laid still after L placed the handcuffs onto his wrists and put them back over his head. "Can Kira be a good boy?"

Kira nodded.

"Good." L worked off his jeans then removed Kira's boxers, his only clothing.

Kira could now feel the soft blanket beneath his naked skin. And now that they were both still and calm, they could hear, and almost feel, each other's rapid heart beats as their hot bodies were mashed together.

It took Kira a long time before he could release the tension in his throat enough to mumble, "I thought you weren't a monster."

L gazed into those amber eyes before glancing down at Kira's well standing erection. "I'm not. I own all your rights to sex and sexuality."

"But you sai-"

L quickly covered his mouth. "Shhh. I own all your rights regarding speech, protest, or to question or to have an opinion."

Kira's eyes widened as he remembered his contract and finally realized the actual severity and weight of his signature on that simple piece of paper.

L tangled his hands into Kira's silk hair, scraping the scalp and holding him still while he parted Kira's lips with his tongue and delved in deep. The taste was sweet, reminding him of the first bite into a strawberry.

For Kira the kiss left him breathless, and when L finally pulled his head back to break the kiss, Kira whined as L continued, "I own your rights to privacy, desired religion and all it's practices, the right to property, to bear arms, to all or no medical treatment, all your rights to past, present or future children."

Kira began to cry, but L wouldn't stop. "I own your rights to express yourself, to travel, to safety, to cruel and unusual punishment, and every right during a trial." L began to laugh. "You have no rights Kira. I even own those tears."

"But I..I have the right to-to-to-"

"To to to, what Kira?"

What was it? What was his final right? The list contained of healthy diets, shelter, proper training and... Kira couldn't remember.

What was it?

What was it?

L ignored Kira as he continued his tongue down the pet's neck and collarbone and drifting down further to his chest. He nipped a little at the left pink nipple he found there, then glided to Kira's navel where he dipped his tongue inside, swirling and tasting the skin.

What was it?

Kira shivered under the control of L. His skin broke out into goose bumps and he found his own hips bucking up, wanting to meet his Master where only minutes ago he wanted to knee. But L was too far down, heading south to Kira's thigh where he licked with warmth before blowing cold air across.

Kira opened his mouth to moan aloud, unable to help himself, but was silenced with a kiss. Their lips locked together and L kissed him fiercely, biting his lips and sucking on his tongue.

Then it hit him.

Kira began moving his mouth to speak but it was hard against L's movements of trying to kiss. Finally, L caught on and pulled back to hear the pet speak.

"I still have rights. I have the right to…" He felt foolish. L was looking at him annoyed, as if maybe he wasn't even worth the trouble. But a voice told Kira to keep going. To keep speaking. "To love. I still have that right."

L began to laugh again, his shoulders shaking. "Nice try, but Kira doesn't know what love is. You think you know, but you don't. But don't worry pet, I will love you. Very, very, hard."

Before Kira could realize what he'd done, L consumed his lips again, dominating the kiss and resuming every piece of control in a brutal violence.

It was more than Kira could take. He lifted his arms weakly and lowered them around L's neck, pulling him closer.

What else could he do?

L took it as cue that his pet was finally ready. Swiftly he lowered his hands down between Kira's legs, grabbed hold of Kira's left thigh, and lifted it up to his own waist. He then guided the other leg, and Kira held both legs around L's waist, submissively, waiting for his next command.