A/N: Sorry for the wait... I hope this lengthier chapter compensates for the wait... Updates will speed up when the school holidays begin!
Disclaimer: I don't own Death note
-
"I still think that if purple had a colour it would taste like hamster– Oh, hi L!" Matt greeted cheerfully, turning away from Mello in order to face the detective.
L nodded in their direction while Light looked startled. Had they really been talking about eating hamsters? How long had Hikari been missing...?
"What will be doing today?" Mello asked eagerly, interrupting Lights musings.
"You," L said, emphasizing the word, "Will be going to school. During all the days I have been here, I haven't seen you attend classes once!"
Mello opened his mouth and then closed it again. "Fine," he huffed. "And what will you be doing?"
"I will be taking Light-kun out on a date."
Cue simultaneous "What?!"s.
-
"Is Light-kun enjoying our date?" L asked, sounding like a child on Christmas day wondering if his mum liked the wooden spoon he had worked hard on, but still ended up failing miserably with. Light wasn't about to play the role as proud mother.
"We haven't got arrived yet!" he sighed.
"But is Light-kun enjoying my company?"
Light didn't reply, instead turning and staring out the window, watching the scenery flash by. Eventually, the car slowed to a halt and L tugged the unwilling teen out with the chain.
"Where are we going?" Light muttered, sending a deathly glare in L's direction.
"First," L began. "We will be going out to buy Christmas presents. I am assuming Light-kun has yet to buy his. Then, I was thinking that we could go out for a drink."
-
"Where are we going?" Matt asked nervously, eyes shifting across his unfamiliar surroundings.
"Just trust me," Mello replied. The two had gone to the first two lessons at Wammys but, to no ones surprise, the fiery blond had gotten bored and after a few phone calls, dragged Matt out of the house.
"Okay, Mello!" the gamer said, smiling. "I trust your judgment and will follow you wherever you go and – why the hell are we in a sewer?"
"Shh!" The blond hissed, turning around with a finger pressed firmly to his lips. "If you're not quiet, they will hear you!"
"They?"
"Shh!"
They crept on, Mello sneaking and Matt pinching his nose to block out the pressing smell. The constant sound of dripping water and footsteps were the only sounds that could be heard.
Mello stopped suddenly. "We're here," he whispered.
"Here?"
"Just watch!"
Matt watched in confusion as Mello knelt down and started feeling along the damp walls, counting out loud as his finger passed each brick. When he reached twenty-three, he paused for a moment, before digging his nails into the side it and pulling it out.
"What are you doing?" Matt asked, silently pleading that Mello wasn't hiding any sort of drugs.
The blond smirked, pulling something out from the hole in the wall. "Getting this!"
Matt studied the package for a good five minutes before finally reaching a conclusion. "Chocolate?"
"Matt, Matt, Matt..." Mello sighed. "This isn't any chocolate! It's special!"
"Yeah, I kind of figured that this kind of hiding place was a little extreme even for you!"
"It's not legal in Britain yet," the leather-clad teen explained, ignoring the redheads previous statement. "It's said to contain only three calories per hundred grams! You can eat loads without getting fat!"
"Oh... But why is it illegal?" Matt asked carefully.
"Something to do with the additives... But don't worry! I fed it to Near last week by crumbling it in his Lego, so it's safe!" Mello exclaimed proudly.
"But don't you think dealing with illegal chocolate is a little risky? I mean, what if L find out?"
"That's why we wont tell him!" the blond explained.
"Oh, Okay then."
-
Two glares, both equally intense, were fighting against each other. Milk chocolate and coal, no elements wishing to back down were now standing face to face, waiting for the other to give in.
"Go away!" Light hissed, not moving his eyes from the man.
"So that Light-kun has a chance to flee? I think not!" L shot back, also keeping his gaze locked firmly ahead.
"But I need to buy your present!" Light growled, waving his hands in annoyance.
"Then Light-kun should do so!"
"But then you'll see it!"
"I have already memorized every item in this shop, so I do not see the problem," L monotoned, still not backing down.
"But you don't know the exact object that I'm going to buy you!"
"Yes I do."
"No you don't!" The teen huffed. "And stop lying!"
"The day day I stop lying will be the day I die!"
"Geez, dramatic much? Please Ryuzaki, just un-cuff me for five minutes while I go and grab what I need and pay for it! It won't take long..."
"The answer is no, Light-kun."
Light remembered the trick L had used on him a few days ago and attempted to use the puppy eyes of doom, but ended up failing and giving off something that L couldn't think to describe in any other way than "uke-eyes".
"Light-kun had five minutes,"L muttered unwillingly, unlocking the chain. "If he is not back within the given time, I will come and search for him."
Light ignored him and quickly scurried of to get L's gift. He found what he wanted and went to stand in the queue, but, to his annoyance, noticed that the cashier was gone. On top of that, there was an old lady with a walker standing in line.
He was tapping his foot impatiently, when he suddenly felt someone touch his shoulder. Light turned, and was surprised to see the woman smiling up at him. She grinned, letting go of the walker and pressed a finger to her lips.
"Don't tell anyone, okay?" she breathed.
Before Light had time to translate, or even less understand what the woman had said, she simply walked behind the counter and opened the cash register. She then started to stuff her pockets with money, before going back and standing next to Light as if nothing had happened.
The teen was unsure of what to do. According to him, just standing and watching as a crime happened was as bad as committing it yourself, but because of his limited English, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to tell a security guard.
His musings were cut of by another tap on the shoulder. Light turned again and saw the very same woman standing there, smiling that same smile. She stretched her palm out to him, offering him a handful of money.
"Here, take some," she said, her friendly tone reminding him of your typical grandma. You know, the one that bakes cookies and gives you advice and knits sweaters.
Light declined wordlessly, shaking his head.
"Aw, come on! Here!" She shoved the money into his hands and took a step back, her facial expression suddenly relaxing. It was in that moment the cashier arrived. It took here one moment to register the empty till and another to notice Lights hand full of money. Her eyes narrowed and she took a step forward.
"Can you come with me sir?" she asked firmly. Light blinked once before realizing what the situation must look like from her point of view and that he would be in a sticky situation unless he did something quick. If only there wasn't the problem with the language barrier...
"Itsu wasu her," Light stuttered, pointing at the elderly woman. The cashiers expression fell into one of dissaproval. She took a step forward and grabbed hold of Lights arm.
"Do you honestly want to pas the blame to a poor old lady? That is unbelievably low! She wouldn't even be able to get her walker past the bump in the floor!"
Light didn't have time to register what was being said as he felt a pair of strong hand wrap around his wrists, just by the bruisings of the cuff and directly on his cast. He let out a low gasp, struggling as pressure was added on his almost fully healed wrist.
"Ryuzaki, help me!" he called out in Japanese, hoping that L was within hearing range.
"Shut up! You're coming with us," one of the people holding on to Light growled in his ear, pulling him away from the scene and to the back of the shop.
He was dragged through a door marked 'private' and slammed down on a chair. A man, who Light assumed was a security guard, took a place opposite him. The teen looked from the man and to the door, beginning to panic. He had no form of ID on him, Ryuzaki had all that stuff and Light had no way of contacting him!
"Well then, could you start this off by telling me your name?" The man asked, his blue eyes borring into Lights. It took him a moment to translate the sentence, but at least he knew the answer.
"Raito Yagami," he replied, remembering to switch the order of the two round.
"Raito?"
"Rait," Light tried again, the man had to get his name right so he didn't think he was kidding around when he found his ID.
"Right?" the man questioned. Light shook his head.
"Do you have a piece-u of paper-u?" he managed, making a writing gesture as he did so. The man handed a paper and a pen over and the teen wrote his name quickly, before handing it over to the man.
"...月," The guard stared down at thee neat kanji on the paper.
"Tsuki," Light said. "Pronounced Light-o." This time, the teen managed to get the 'L' in, but the man wasn't listening.
"Whatever... I'll just call you Yagamyi."
"Yagami," Light corrected.
-
L glanced up at the clock outside the shop, growing increasingly agitated by the minute. Light had been gone for almost a quarter of an hour now and according to L's calculations, he should have been out by half of that time.
With an annoyed sigh, he stepped into the shop to find the boy. He walked up and down the isles, peered around corners and even asked a lady nice old lady if she had seen him, but the brunet was nowhere to be found. As a last resort, L walked up to one of the cashiers.
"Excuse me, have you seen a Japanese boy about as tall as me, brown hair, broken arm and with a... strong accent when speaking English?"
The girls eyes narrowed. "He was with you?" she hissed.
"Did something happen?" L asked, fearing the answer.
"Did something happen? He attempted to rob us and then tried to blame it on an eighty-something woman!"
"Where is he now?" L inquired, trying to work out how Light would have gotten himself into a situation like that. Probably with great ease, anyway...
The woman led him through the shop, stopping outside a door.
"In there," she muttered, storming of before L had time to thank her. He opened the door.
He then closed it quickly, debating whether to leave or not.
He then decided that it was best to stay and opened the door again. He winced as he took in the situation, Light was currently being shouted at by a security guard, who looked just about ready to draw a gun.
"Stop stalling and admit it, Right Yagamyi!"
"But I-ru did note do anything! It was-u notu me! And my name isu Light Yagami"
L coughed. "Excuse me gentlemen, I think we have a misunderstanding here."
The two men ended their struggle, both turning to the detective. A smile spread across Lights face.
"Ryuzaki! Help me! And tell the man my name!"
"What has my friend done?" L asked, ignoring the teens request.
"He attempted to rob our shop and blamed it on an old woman with a walker."
"Would you refrain from contacting the police in exchange for a small fee?" L monotoned.
"You're attempting to bribe me?"
"Pretty much, yes." L then pulled out a checkbook and a pen from nowhere and quickly jotted something down. He then passed the paper to the man.
"I hope this is enough."
"Are you for real?" The man asked, blinking twice to make sure that he hadn't misread the sum of money. L nodded.
"Well that settles it. Take your little friend, but keep him out of trouble in future."
-
"I am very disappointed with Light-kun."
"But Ryuzaki, I–"
"Even though this lowers the Kira percentages by several percent, I would never have thought Light-kun would sink so low."
"But I didn't–"
"Light-kuns dept is running really high and if he isn't careful he will end up working for me for the rest of his life."
"But I really didn't steal–"
"However, I am willing to set this all aside for the time being as we have reached Wammys house. We shall not speak of this again."
"Whatever," Light muttered, giving up on redeeming his image. The chain was back in place and the teen doubted he would be released any time soon. It wasn't fair! He hadn't done anything wrong! Stupid old lady with her stupid walker and her stupid... he couldn't come up with anything else that was stupid about her, so he just settled for calling her a plain idiot.
His mental rant was interrupted by L opening the door. They both stepped in, but froze.
Everything was white.
Everything.
Walls, floors, tables, chairs... all coated with white paint.
"Numb..." L muttered.
"He's really done it this time," the teen managed.
They heard loud voices from the kitchen, so they headed in that direction.
"It was not me."
"It must have been! Who else would paint the hole fucking place white!"
"Mello-kun and Near-kun are in there," L observed helpfully. Light sighed, following the detective in.
"Hello," L greeted. "It seems we have a problem."
"L! Look what Nears done!" Mello said, gesturing to the walls.
"How does Mello-kun know it was Near-kun?"
"'Cause everything white!"
"I think Mello is trying to frame me," Near whispered.
"You think I'm framing you?" Mello asked in disbelief.
"Yes. You don't have an alibi for the day, since you didn't attend classes, so it must have been you."
"Why don't you search my room then, if you don't believe me!"
They all walked up the stairs, which were just as white as everything else. They stopped outside Mello and Matt's room. Near entered first, but stopped in the doorway, laying eyes on an object on the floor.
"I rest my case," Near hissed, sending a nasty glare in Mello's direction.
"What do you – Hey, how did that get there?" Mello yelled, staring at the large tub of white paint in the center of his floor.
"How does Mello-kun explain this?" L asked.
"It wasn't me!"
The debates continued and because Mello couldn't say were he and Matt had been or what he had been doing during the day, they had no way of proving their innocence.