A/N: No excuses this time. I am really sorry D: I just get so frustrated with this story…I hate feeling like its not good enough, y'know? Like I can do better. But…whatever. I started this story for fun, and there's no way I'm going to let myself get to the point where I have to force myself to write it. And I'm sure as hell not abandoning this story, either. I'd never do that to you guys ;D
So, enjoy the chapter—angst (and ridiculous amounts of foreshadowing!!) abounds!—and hopefully another one will be out soon! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or any of its characters.
"Ryuzaki," Light whispered, tilting his chin upwards with his other hand. Ryuzaki could see that his eyes were serious, a subtle undercurrent to their soft sepia gleam. "I want you to promise me something."
Light's words surprised him. And yet not so much as his reaction, a deep-set and instinctive trust that seemed to belie his suspicious nature. "Anything," he whispered back, feeling every ideal that he'd ever stood for fade away into a flawed, foreign sense of humanity.
"Promise me…," Light murmured, gaze falling as his voice faded into silence. His fingers tensed against Ryuzaki's, and he looked up again with burning eyes. "Promise me that if I ever become Kira again, you'll kill me."
His words were followed by a surprised silence, and Ryuzaki could feel the aching echo of the words slowly build in his chest with each agonizing heartbeat.
"Light-kun," he said finally, drawing back, "I—"
"No." Light's grip on his shirt tightened, and his eyes burned brighter. "Ryuzaki…you said anything. This…this is what I want. I want you to be safe."
"I can't," Ryuzaki whispered, feeling his throat swell as hot pinprick tears settled at the edges of his eyes. "I can't do that to you."
Light pressed his lips to Ryuzaki's, gently, sadly. "You're L…you can do anything. You…you have to."
Ryuzaki cast his eyes away. "It's not that simple," he said quietly, voice mirroring his own doubts.
"Yes, it is," Light countered, his voice achingly gentle. "Kira…it's your duty to kill him."
Ryuzaki drew back, feeling a pang in his chest at the words. "Don't preach to me, Light," he said, his voice hard.
Light was quiet, and he could feel the pain of his words etched into the silence. "You can't know," he murmured suddenly, his eyes finding Light's. "You can't know that you're going to become Kira again. I…I won't let it happen."
Light took his hand in an almost cautious grip, and he felt his heartbeat sputter. Why did this feel so much like goodbye?
"But I do know, Ryuzaki…I—I know you can feel it too." His grip on Ryuzaki's hand tightened unconsciously. "Like…like something is about to happen."
Ryuzaki shook his head, refusing to acknowledge the churning in his stomach at the truth of those words. "Light-kun does not trust me to keep him safe."
Light reached up a hand to run his fingers against Ryuzaki's cheek. Ryuzaki closed his eyes at the pleasant sensation, the stir of anxiety slowing his reason. "Of course I do," Light murmured gently, warm fingertips sliding along the detective's smooth jaw. "But…" Ryuzaki opened his eyes as Light's hand fell limply to the side.
Light's eyes were sad, settled with a gentle melancholy in the shining rim of unshed tears, and Ryuzaki watched them slide closed as he leaned forward to press his lips to the boy's forehead. There was a sort of silent understanding that flowed between them, painfully awash with uncertain promises; and in that instant they both knew—there was no escaping it.
"It's like the calm before the storm, isn't it?" Light whispered, his voice shadowed by a gentle foreboding.
Ryuzaki could only nod and draw the boy closer, eyes drifting closed as he felt warm arms wrap around his waist. Auburn hair brushed against his neck, followed by soft, gentle lips, and he suddenly found his eyes blurring with unshed tears. There was an undeniable ring of finality to the moment, and he couldn't bear to think what it might mean.
"L," Light breathed against his skin, tasting the sound of his name. There was no need for pretense here, in the space between them.
Ryuzaki shivered as Light closed that space, body pressing against his in a tender embrace. His lips reached up, found the detective's for a brief moment before pulling away.
"Promise me," he whispered, breath sweet against Ryuzaki's lips.
Ryuzaki's hands fisted in Light's shirt, and he pulled back. "No."
"Ryuzaki—,"
"Later, Light-kun," he murmured, his voice laced with a heavy, forlorn note.
"No," Light protested. "Ryuzaki—" His hands reached up to brush away tussled midnight bangs. "There may not be a later."
He held the detective's gaze, honeyed eyes bright with weary determination. Ryuzaki opened his mouth to speak…
And was interrupted by the sudden, familiar voice of Watari. "Ryuzaki?"
Both men averted their gazes to the singular, gothic W floating on the lonely white computer screen, and Ryuzaki responded with a simple, surprised, "yes?"
"Ryuzaki," the voice continued sounding unusually flustered, "Higuchi is dead."
Gazes clashed, topaz and obsidian, and there was a sudden flurry of movement as the monitors flickered to live around them.
The storm had finally come.
A/N: DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING, DIDYAH? :O ((And yes, I'm an evil, sadistic bitch, and I know it. xD)) + srreh that it is so short. D:
P.S. THANK YOU FOR +100 REVIEWS!!! ILY ALL!! *hugs* You people are beyond amazing. I wish I could give you all cookies. XD And a special thanks to the ever-lovely Donatellolover, who is my 100th reviewer. You can thank her for the ravenous plot bunny that has spawned a new story for you to look forward to. ((And did I mention that it will include B?? XD))
P.S.S. Reviews make me update faster! :3 Oh, and reviewing also decreases the likelihood of spontaneous combustion by 35%. No joke. XD