So this is a rather interesting take I've done on Ryuzaki. Again, I hadn't meant for it to come out like this, but this story virtually writes itself. Look, I don't know about the last part of this chapter. It seemed a little OOC but also? Well, let me try and think of a reasonable explanation for this in the next chapter. Or maybe I'll rewrite it, idk.

Thanks for all the favorites, reviews, and subscriptions!

Chapter 27: The Altercation

Aug 3, 2004; 11 02

Yaibe Junichi , read the glossy white business card in Ryuzaki's hands as he turned it over, ignoring the first Kira who was hard at work beside him. It was no difficult matter to have Watari work with the Chief to investigate the businessman's background, and what turned up was much as he had expected.

Yaibe Junichi. Turning 29 in approximately 3 weeks. A corrupt but up-and-coming businessman, the son of a corporate leader, with three rape accusations filed against him and countless harassment complaints, all of which were inexplicably dropped. His victims, for Ryuzaki had no doubt that these cases against him were true, tended on the young side, though not so much as for him to be properly classified a pedophile, and they were always pretty, quiet-looking and had long dark hair. Rui certainly fit that profile to a T.

It was just as easy to have Watari pull some strings to reopen the accusations against Yaibe. Ryuzaki didn't see anything wrong with that. If one committed a crime, they got arrested, and were sentenced. This was justice, after all.

His phone vibrated, alerting him to Rui's attempt to exit the building. He sighed a little to himself, finding her name quickly in his list of phone contacts.

Rui blinked, letting the door fall close again as she stepped back into the building and hastened to pick up her call. "Yes, Ryuzaki?" She'd set a special ringtone just for him, and another for Watari. It wouldn't do to leave the building only to have to jump through hoops to go back in again for something they wanted.

"On account of recent events, perhaps it would be best if you were escorted on occasions that necessitate you leaving the building. Matsui and Moji have been enlisted for this purpose. I would urge you to make full use of them in that capacity."

Rui hummed. She had no real preference either way. If Mogi or Matsuda were available to accompany her, she'd be glad of the company. And she wouldn't be the one lugging boxes of cakes around. There was a time when she would've been worried about imposing on them, but now, Rui was rather grateful that someone would be there to look out for her.

Seeing as no protests were coming his way, Ryuzaki continued. "Matsui should be joining you shortly."

Rui supposed that Matsuda had some time before he had to resume his role as Misa's manager. If memory served, Misa was due to sign a contract with Director Nishinaka to star in his newest movie. The news would probably be announced later, too. And how did Rui know this?

Well, Misa rang Rui up nearly every day , babbling about random topics that ranged from what she wanted to eat that day, to the clothes and accessories she had newly purchased, to little anecdotes of her work and life. Someone, most likely Matsuda, must have given her Rui's number. She doubted it would've been Ryuzaki, for she was sure he hadn't seen nor communicated with Misa since the Sham Date. But Matsuda would have had her number in case he needed housekeeping services, since he was staying in the Task Force building. Thus far, he was pretty good about doing his own chores, though.

"Hey Matsui!" she greeted the youngest police officer of the Task Force. He held up a hand in greeting, flashing her his customary smile. "I need to run some errands. Thanks so much for accompanying me!"

"No problem, Rui!"

And so, they were off.

Aug 3, 2004; 14 15

"This is what you do for Ryuzaki on a... weekly basis?" Matsuda inquired, puffing a little as he readjusted the plastic bags in his hold. Rui was faring no better. "How did you intend on bringing all this back if you were going alone?"

"Every two to three days, actually," Rui corrected. "I was going to make multiple trips if I had to."

"Sweets and traditional desserts, too?" Matsuda observed, riffling through the wares. "Body soap, cleanser and shampoo? Moisturiser? Cleaning implements? And flowers?" He stared at them for a bit.

"Hmm?" Rui looked up from where she was checking her own loot. Coffee, tea, snacks, toilet paper. "Yeah, I have to keep HQ well stocked, don't I? Where do you think your toilet paper and shampoo came from? I mean, there's still a bit left, but these things run out quickly, especially at the most inconvenient times..."

"What about the flowers?" Matsuda pressed. "Are you the one giving flowers to Ryuzaki?"

"To Ryuzaki? Not to him per se... I just thought they would brighten up the room..." Matsuda had that gossipy look on his face, and Rui was wary. "... Why?" Rui asked, carefully. She looked at the bunch of purple hydrangeas in her hand. Were they inappropriate or something? She was sure that applied to camellias and chrysanthemums, but hydrangeas ought to be fine, right?

"Did you know? Purple hydrangeas indicate a desire by the giver to deeply understand the receiver," Matsuda began, slyly.

"Really? That's cool," she replied, intrigued in spite of herself. It was a mere coincidence that its meaning aligned with her actual wishes, but it really was cool. "I mean, I just thought they were pretty. I wonder if Ryuzaki knows hana kotoba, too?"

Matsuda's eyes lit up. "Probably? Despite the way he seems, he might actually like flowers. Do you know how much he looks at the flowers on his table?"

Rui couldn't help being flattered. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Matsuda was on a roll now. "He even touches them from time to time. Did you know, he once slapped at my hand when I tried to clear them off for him!"

"You tried to throw away MY flowers?" Rui began dangerously, and he immediately tried to backpedal.

"No, I mean, well, they were wilted!"

She supposed Matsuda had a point, and subsided. "So... what's going on between you and Ryuzaki?" he slyly took the opportunity to ask, sidling up beside her. "You can tell me, you know. I know you guys probably wouldn't want this to get out, seeing as you're still working together, and he probably wants to protect you from his enemies-"

With great control, Rui forced back the blush threatening to overtake her complexion. Even if she did want his words to be true, if wishes were coins, beggars would be rich, and all that. "What are you on, Matsui?" she cut in, exasperated. That derailed him successfully.

"I mean, you and Ryuzaki-"

"I can assure you, there isn't anything between me and Ryuzaki. Does he seem like a romantic person to you?" Rui continued, before he could rally and push forward with something more difficult to counter. "I'm working for him and Watari. And before you ask, no, I don't know much about them both. I was a recent recruit, you know. The Kira case is probably the longest and most difficult one he's been on, which is why they needed an extra pair of hands. Which is where I come in."

"It-It-It's- Well, you seem to be the closest to him here," Matsuda countered weakly. He knew he was losing this point. "Not even Watari seems that close to him. And didn't you go on a date with him, Misa and Light?"

Wait, really? Was she really the closest to him? That made Rui's heart skip a beat, but then she thought better of it, adjusting her mask to buy time to gather herself. "Well, I take care of his daily needs, like his meals. Watari is needed for more important things, so of course we appear closer. But I haven't known him for long, either. And that wasn't intended to be a date, as you well know. Misa simply dragged the both of us into things."

Matsuda didn't seem willing to let this rest, though. He was like a starving dog with a bone when he was onto gossip. That was something Rui had observed on several occasions before. "But you know him well enough to know he likes flowers?"

Rui sighed. "Matsui, I'm afraid you're reading too much into something that isn't there," she explained patiently. "I simply thought flowers might brighten up the place one day, and I just continued getting them because he seemed to like them. That's all." She began walking. "Come on, these things are heavy and we really need to be getting back. Don't you need to leave with Misa later?"

Matsuda followed her, grumbling a little to himself about how his intuition on these matters was never wrong, etc etc. Rui rolled her eyes. "Look, you want a flower too? Here!" She stuck one of the hydrangeas into his breast pocket despite his protests.

She was getting Mogi to go with her next time.

Ryuzaki stared at the bouquet of purple hydrangeas on his desk. Hydrangea Macrophylla , his mind supplied. He didn't particularly like flowers, but this case could be a little... trying at times, what with the supernatural elements, extended teamwork and in-person contact, the need to hang back instead of goad his opponent into making a wrong move... The abject boredom. It had been a long time since an interesting case had appeared. Oh, solving cold cases, averting wars, amassing wins had been fun for a while, but then it had gotten old. What was a win without an opponent to test one's mettle against?

And then Kira had appeared, and it had been the most energetic and passionate he'd ever remembered himself being. Only the way he'd felt after his first case could rival that. But he'd already come close to death at least a couple times, and would've taken on more than he'd bargained for had Rui had not appeared.

He did not resent Rui's knowledge and acquaintance at all. She would save him from a rather mortifying defeat, for the odds had indeed been sorely stacked against him. But she'd already given him all the pieces, and now the balance swung too far the other way. What was once an engaging, thrilling mystery had now become a tiresome obligation. He would see this through, all the same, but there wasn't much to occupy his mind, and that unceasing need to question, to pick apart, to investigate, now gnawed at his nerves and his sense of respite. Still, he was sure he would've felt just as listless without her knowledge, but for a different reason: the prospect of an unsolvable case.

When he wasn't restless, he was feeling overly listless. Despite that, or perhaps because of that, he was overly focused on Rui herself.

The presence of those flowers somehow calmed that lack of respite, in the same way that excessive consumption of sweets did, but without the discomfort. Absently, he stroked one of the smooth, purple petals. Sepals, rather, an extension of the plant's calyx.

Back before he'd discovered the wonder of computers, he hadn't played well with children (and it'd been far too cold outside, anyway). Watari had given him free access to his library. At first, Ryuzaki had gone there mostly because it was the warmest room in Wammy's. But then, he'd come across a small book on Hana Kotoba, the Japanese language of flowers. Why he'd decided to read it, he didn't know, or couldn't remember, but the information somehow ended up being lodged firmly in his mind. He supposed flowers reminded him of the end of winter. The end of barren dullness.

An expressed desire for deep understanding. Ryuzaki wasn't sure if Rui had actually meant to convey that, but it suited her. Hadn't she been trying to do that for some time now? He should be wary at this, but he found he wasn't at all opposed to it, and wondered what that meant for him. Again with Rui. He really should cease this disturbing preoccupation.

He didn't miss Light shooting glances at him. He'd been doing that for a while now. "Did you need something, Yagami-kun?"

"I... No, it's nothing," demurred the boy. "It's just..."

Ryuzaki waited.

"You don't seem very energetic," Light said carefully. Ryuzaki knew exactly what he meant, although he'd put it across in a more diplomatic way than he himself would have. Ryuzaki hadn't been doing anything to aid in investigating the Third Kira.

"Do I?" Ryuzaki replied noncommittally, watching Light from the corner of his eye. He supposed Light was right.

"Well, what are your thoughts on this case thus far, Ryuzaki?" Light tried again. Vaguely, Ryuzaki noticed the rest of the task force suddenly paying close attention. He couldn't get out of this, could he?

"I still suspect you and Misa to be Kiras, hence the handcuffs," Ryuzaki began. He was sure Light already knew this, and there was no use pretending. "The way I see it, when you volunteered to be confined, you were Kira, and then the killings stopped... Up until then, it makes sense that you were Kira. But after two weeks, the killings resumed... Based on that, my thinking is that Kira's power passes from person to person. The Second Kira's video even mentioned that the power could be shared..."

Ryuzaki could tell that Light did not like that answer, but Ryuzaki wasn't overly perturbed by this. If Light hadn't wanted an honest answer, he shouldn't have asked. Ryuzaki wasn't the one who liked to dress situations up in palatable lies. He looked on as Light visibly rearranged his expression to one of earnest neutrality.

"That's an interesting theory, but if that is the case, then catching Kira will be difficult."

It would, if Light had not planned on repossessing his murder weapon. But the waiting was just as tedious. Ryuzaki supposed he could move things along to make it go faster, but he'd only be going through the motions. Thinking about it only made his limbs feel heavier.

Ryuzaki didn't bother with an answer.

"... Well, that's not definite yet," Light tried again. "There are too many things that we don't understand about Kira right now." He reached out to pat Ryuzaki's shoulder. "Come on, show some energy."

Ryuzaki tensed, but didn't move away. He wasn't going to shrink away like he was afraid of Light.

He was aware that he was acting rather childishly and irresponsibly, but he hadn't signed up to be either, anyway. He'd only wanted to do what brought him the most satisfaction. When he'd solved his first case, the euphoria had been almost tangible, and Ryuzaki had fancied he'd been able to taste it on the tip of his tongue, warm and golden and sweet. If I could only taste that for the rest of my life, he'd thought, I'd want for nothing else.

But in his pursuit of the taste of victory, he found himself saddled with other more weighty things. Like wealth. Danger. Responsibility. Lives. The fate of the world, at times.

He wasn't quite sure what he was feeling, but he knew he just wasn't feeling it. So he was a little... disappointed. He was only human - that wasn't allowed?

"Why even bother?" he mumbled. He hadn't meant to say it aloud.

Light shot upright like an electrocuted cat. "What do you mean, Ryuzaki? Unless we chase Kira, there's no way we'll catch him!" he demanded, though he kept his tone mostly civil. "Are you saying you're giving up?"

Giving up? Ryuzaki allowed himself to seriously ponder that. It would release him of tedium, of course, but then he'd be exchanging one sort of tedium for another. Bereft of avenues in which he could apply his intellect. Left by himself to deal with the work of daily life - eating, grooming... living. And then there was the question of whether that option was available to him in the first place. But this particular case... was it even worth continuing with? So much tedium... and it wouldn't stop, even after the end of the case.

"No, of course not," he replied smoothly. "I may have worded it poorly, but I'm thinking that continuing this isn't even going to get us anywhere good, so maybe we should stop..."

"Ryuzaki..."

In retrospect, Ryuzaki should have been expecting it. The punch, that is. Rui had said it would happen, after all, though not in the way she had foretold. Ryuzaki wondered what that meant. If pieces already were shifting... Was everything inevitable?

Nevertheless, he failed to brace himself and consequently was flung off his chair by the force of the punch, taking Light with him on account of the handcuffs. "Ouch," he mumbled, pulling himself into a sitting position.

Light was yelling at him. "The police, the FBI agents, TV announcers, how many innocent people do you think have been victimised?! You're the one who arrested Misa and me!"

"Well, yes, and it could have been avoided if Kira hadn't taken action in the first place," Ryuzaki retorted dryly. Light didn't have his memories to put this in perspective, but he was the cause of all these issues he was pointing out, after all. Still...

"Whatever the reason..." he shifted into position, "Once is once!" He sprang up, landing a kick on Light's face. Light was propelled backwards, but Ryuzaki had braced himself against the momentum, and so Light didn't have far to fly.

"What are you saying?!" Light sounded even more incensed, slowly pushing himself back up. "That I'm causing all these? It's like you think only I can be Kira!"

"Only you can be Kira?" Ryuzaki repeated, musing over the words. "Yes, you were Kira." He was simply stating the truth, but it earned him another punch, which he also braced himself against. Well, if they were doing this...

"An eye for an eye, my friend. I'll have you know I'm quite strong." So saying, he planted the heel of his palm on the ground and pivoted on the ball of his foot, catching Light's face with his other foot.

Having been busy restocking the cupboards, Rui missed the beginning of their altercation. Now she watched them, stupefied beyond belief. She had so not been prepared for this, because the fight hadn't happened during the Sham Date, Rui had let down her guard.

What, the task force was just letting them duke it out like this? Yagami Sr. had held onto Matsuda's arm when he tried to stand up, presumably to stop them. Were they all quite mad? She selected Watari's number from her contact list. Thankfully, he picked up at the third ring.

"Watari, do you see what is happening in the main investigation room right now?" she asked him urgently, forgoing all pleasantries.

"Ah. Ryuzaki and Light appear to be trading blows," Watari replied calmly and somewhat cheerfully, like he was reporting that Ryuzaki and Light were having an uneventful verbal discussion. Where was the urgency?

"Yes, they are," Rui agreed, agitated. "Should we not stop them?"

Watari chuckled, to Rui's disbelief. "Ah, you don't have to worry on that front; Ryuzaki IS rather stronger than he looks, you know."

What, like that was the problem? Was Watari, too, kind of mad? She wasn't sure what she said as Watari excused himself and cut the call. It looked like it was up to her to do something.

Rui thought for a moment as the fight intensified. What had happened in canon then? Matsuda had called the room. Rui supposed she could call Ryuzaki, but he likely wasn't about to pick up. But there was another auditory source in the room - in all the rooms, actually. And Ryuzaki had given her access to the rooms she was watching.

Nervously, Rui inspected the small panel of buttons beside the screens in her room. She hadn't had cause to use them before but... She pressed the button that was most likely to open an audio connection to the room, and took a deep breath. They weren't going to like this. It was going to hurt them so much more than it hurt her, though.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A high, ear-piercing shriek shattered the relative silence of the main investigation room, causing every occupant to recoil. Ryuzaki and Light staggered and broke apart, Ryuzaki clutching at his head. The scream was held for an agonising eight seconds, and Ryuzaki wouldn't be surprised to find himself deaf, as it were. His pulse quickened.

It had to be Rui. Yet, he wouldn't have thought she could make a sound like that. Was she in trouble?

She dispelled that notion almost immediately. "No, I'm not in trouble." Her voice was a little hoarse, and almost sheepish. "I'm coming down with ice packs and a first-aid kit."

Aug 3, 2004; 18 01

"Are you all quite mad?" Rui demanded, as she pinched the bridge of Ryuzaki's bleeding nose. She lightly smacked his shoulder as he tried to throw his head back, and he flinched, but remained quiet. "Don't you know anything? Sit upright, or the blood will flow down your throat!"

At Rui's behest, Ryuzaki was holding an ice pack to his eye, which was already bruising. Light, too, had come off just as badly, but she'd left his father and Matsuda to attend to him. Watari didn't seem all that inclined to concern himself with Ryuzaki's injuries, so it was all up to her.

Rui wasn't at all proficient with first aid besides her experience with nosebleeds, but whatever she didn't know, she did her best to work out via common sense. She scanned him, checking for any wounds. There was the wrist chafing, and his split lip. What did this mean, though, that the same events still happened, though not necessarily at the right times? Was Ryuzaki's death inevitable?

"Where else are you hurt, Ryuzaki?" she asked, gentling her tone of voice.

He held out his chafed wrist, and Rui gently took his hand. "Nowhere else? Besides the split lip?"

Silently, he shook his head. Ryuzaki was being surprisingly meek, huh? She would've expected him to push everyone away, not wanting to seem feeble. Maybe he actually liked being babied? But that was neither here nor there.

She examined his wrist. It looked even more painful and horrible than she'd thought. She hummed, then called Watari up again.

"H-hey Watari? Sorry, I know you're busy but, uh, what first aid should I perform for chafing and a split lip?"

Watari sounded greatly amused, but he answered her questions rather gaily, and in sufficient detail that she felt confident performing the next step.

She picked Ryuzaki's hand up again. "So now I'm going to clean and disinfect your wrist and apply this medicated ointment, okay? It might sting a little, but only for a while."

He looked on quietly as she proceeded to do just that. He didn't even flinch when the disinfectant was applied. Rui dithered after the ointment, wondering if he needed his wrist wrapped to protect the area from infection.

"That will not be necessary, Rui." Those were the first words he'd spoken since she'd unceremoniously dragged him away from the main room. What? He knew how to treat his wounds? In annoyance, she reached out and lightly smacked the back of his head.

"You know how to treat your wounds? Why didn't you tell me in the first place?" She rolled her eyes, then lightly smacked his shoulder again. It was intended more to make a point than to actually hurt. "You guys are grown men! You of all people should know better!"

He remained stubbornly silent. Sighing, she hooked one finger under his chin and attempted to position his face so that she might see his split lip better. He flinched once, then again as she very lightly touched the edge of his lip to see it better. His breathing audibly hitched as she tilted her head closer, puzzling her and causing her eyes to flick back upwards to meet his.

"Look, just let me see it better, alright?" she soothed, then went back to examine his top lip. It wasn't too bad, all things considered. Just a small cut, but everyone knew that small cuts hurt the most.

Despite Ryuzaki knowing better, the intense way she was eyeing his lips inexplicably did funny things to his stomach, and his pulse drummed nervously at the feel of their breaths mingling. He couldn't help noticing the way she smelt, like citrus and ginger. Idly, he decided he rather preferred the other scent.

Truthfully, back then he had rather meant to ask her how she was after the... assault, but the way she had looked at him with too-wide eyes had caused him to think better of broaching the topic, and so he'd changed what he'd said. Though on hindsight, commenting on her scent hadn't been much of an improvement, he thought ruefully.

All too soon, she drew away, but his heart hammered further at the delicate way she was dabbing at his wound. It stung, of course, but not enough to distract him from the pleasant tickle of her touch. The sting disappeared to leave only the pleasant tickling, as she carefully spread a minuscule amount of medicated ointment on his wound.

Somehow, those brief moments of her fingertip on his lip felt like an eternity, and instinctively, he parted his lips as she reached their seam.

She squeaked a little in surprise as the tip of her finger, slick with the ointment, slipped a little into his mouth, and jolted as the tip of his tongue seemed to caress her sensitive fingertip, her stomach flip-flopping. What was this? It had to taste horrible. She flicked her gaze upwards to meet his.

The intense look in his gaze made it difficult for her to breathe. But he didn't seem opposed to her touch; quite the opposite, in fact. He wanted her to touch him. She swallowed nervously, then gathered her courage.

Tentatively, but certainly not reluctantly, as if she were handling the most delicate threads of silk, she held her breath, tracing the curve of his full, pale bottom lip with a slightly trembling finger. His eyes briefly slid shut, then opened again.

She stifled a gasp as his lips parted further, and his tongue slipped out just a little to caress the tip of her finger again. It should have been gross, but he somehow made it... sensual. She shuddered, but not with disgust.

And then, his hand gently curled around her wrist as he pushed just a little of her fingertip into his mouth. Just a little. Like, maybe a couple or so centimeters. It wasn't anything, or so she told herself. But then, he began to, for lack of a better word, suck at it. Nothing particularly intense, just a slow, gentle suction applied to her index finger.

But it was precisely the slow pace, combined with the deliberate way in which he was staring at her that really did it. Rui clenched her jaw as her breath hitched and a rush of warmth tingled down south. Did she say 'tingled'? No, she really meant 'throbbed', warm sweet aching pulses that made her want to rub her thighs together.

A polite knock sounded on the door. Heart in her mouth, Rui jolted away from Ryuzaki, fingertip pulling out of his mouth with a little 'pop', and shoved another icepack at his lips. She did a little cough and pulled up her mask, then went to answer it, avoiding looking at Ryuzaki.

Rui shifted a little as she met Yagami Sr.'s and Jr.'s gazes, well aware that she was heavily flushed and breathing a little more heavily beneath her mask. She smiled with her eyes to hide it. "I'm done with Ryuzaki, too," she addressed them. "I guess we should keep a first aid kit in the main investigation room, huh?"