"Hello, it's me.
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet,
To go over everything.
They say that time's supposed to heal ya,
But I ain't done much healing."
-Hello, Adele-
Monitors turned on at the high pitched tone from a laptop on a desk, illuminating the darkened and barren hotel room, devoid of anything but necessities. A bed, a desk with the lighted computer, an empty chest of drawers and grocery bags of food. A dark sheet covered the window allowing the barest amount of light through. The chair turned slightly, deep charcoal eyes searched the screen from behind onyx, disheveled bangs. Prominent bruising under the eyes from lack of sleep and a sugar cube pursed between pale but full lips. A hand with spindly fingers pinched the cube from the clutches of his mouth as the corners of his mouth turned up, "So they've accepted all of my terms."
The chair completed the circle towards the desk. A thin finger made its way to the bottom lip of the obsidian haired man's lip. The other hand reached for the intercom. Pausing to admire the situation as a whole. He dragged his thumb along the screen against another young man. The latter, bound in chains from waist up to the bottom of his shoulders. A black bag concealing the monster who once haunted his nightmares. He yanked his hand back from the screen when the younger male stirred and jerked his head up and made a low, almost feral, growl.
A single side of a smirk could be witnessed, were anyone there to witness it. His pale lithe form, haunched behind a computer screen, smirking like a diabolical madman. Perhaps he was at this point. His thumb pressed the intercom, "Release all but the last set of handcuffs and leave the bag."
A U.S Marshal stared up at the camera, "Uh. Um. L was it? Are you sure?" The second figure stilled, almost impossibly still. He seemed the bring his shoulders closer to the base of his neck and haunch slightly, tucking his head lower.
L's eyes narrowed slightly in contemplation, "Yes. I'm quite sure. Be sure to make haste when he is released. I am unsure of his reactions."
The American federal agent sighed deeply and began reciting his speech as he unlocked the multitude of locks that strapped the boy similarly to a straight-jacket, "Beyond Birthday, The United States releases custodial rights to your home country. England. You are currently in the custody of one, aliased as, Detective L."
As the final lock clicked open the Marshal collected the chains and made a hasty retreat out the front door that repeated the high pitched tone on the laptop once again. A deep voice came over the intercom, seemingly trying to be as comforting as possible. "You have many questions. And, I will answer them in time. However, for now, remove the bag from your head."
The figured stiffened slightly and shakily brought his still handcuffed hands up to the bag and slowly dragged it off of his head. Ebony bangs fell over his forehead and rested just below eye level with his shining sanguine eyes.
L jerked his hand back from the intercom and studied the once greatest rival. "What have they done to you…" He could feel anger rising in his chest. He took a deep breath quailing the discontentment of his own emotions. His dark orbs observed the deep bruising around the other's left eye and a welt just barely noticeable from underneath the bangs on the right side of his forehead. A healing wound on his lower lip, from observation, none were self inflicted.
Beyond shifted his gaze to the mocha colored, tiled floor and closed his eyes as the intercom began again, "Beyond. As a show of good faith, the key to your handcuffs is on the counter behind you." L watched the boy hardly flinch.
Beyond lifted his head and rolled his neck to better take in his surroundings. His scarlet eyes then darted around in realization he wasn't in an institution of any sort. His eyes trailed along the marbled black countertops, olive green walls and white appliances of a simple English styled kitchen. His eyes flashed to the sliding glass door that let in an obscene amount of natural lighting, blinding him momentarily.
He inhaled sharply through his teeth as he quickly pulled his still handcuffed hands up to shield himself slightly at the brilliant sunlight. When his eyes focused more to the light he brought his crossed and bound hands down, to his chin. His eyes fell onto a brilliant green field with heavily wooded areas surrounding the home.
"Beyond." L watched as his once successor seemed to be mystified by the concept of outdoors. "The key is on the counter behind you." He pulled his hand back from the intercom once again when the younger male turned around and looked directly at the camera with a cruel glare.
"What do you want, L?" His voice was cold and distant. It was to be expected. Though his name was written down in the death note, no one but him and Quillish ever knew his true name. L felt a bitter smile tug at his lips. For once, he was glad to not have a true name. Though, the shinigami stopped his heart, the lack of a true name made him impervious to the murderous notebook. L focused his eyes onto Beyond who was diligently unlocking the cuffs from his wrists. Though, he wondered if Beyond ever truly had a true name either. 'I often wonder what his parents or my parents were like… Would we have met if we lived normal lives? Could we have been friends?'
L's mind was refocused at the sound of handcuffs clattering against the floor. Observing Beyond rubbing his wrists, while still looking around with wide eyes of curiosity. The golden oak cupboards were filled with all the foods that L researched that B had shown any interest in both before and during his incarceration. He watched the younger man reach for the cupboards his hands shaking slightly. 'He's thin. Abnormally thin. Were they starving him?' His attention perked back to the previous successor when rummaging was heard and a pack of cigarettes was pulled from the cupboards.
L did his best to make it as comfortable as possible for Beyond to make the transitions into where L wanted him to be. He meticulously studied all of his habits and behaviors during his imprisonment. Even the ones he thought were foul. Such as smoking.
Beyond held the red package in shaky hands as he dug for a lighter in several different drawers a displeased groan could be sounded from the throat of the persecuted murderer. The intercom chimed in once again, "The drawer, beneath the microwave." The vermilion eyes flashed up to the camera with annoyance as he opened the drawer beneath the microwave aggressively. L found himself betraying a small smile, 'There you are… I was getting worried.'
Beyond flicked the lighter and lit the cigarette in a hurried fashion. He took a long drag from the cylinder. Holding it in for a moment he kept his eyes closed. As if savoring the serene calm that washed over him. Exhaling a plume of smoke from his nose he flicked the cigarette ashes into the sink, "I'm listening."
The voice came over the intercom once again, "Get comfortable first. The kitchen is loaded with food that I believe to be in your flavor of choices. The house is yours to do what you will with it."
Beyond laid a skeptical stare towards the camera, "What happened?" He absentmindedly flicked the end of the cigarette into the sink again. Discarding the spent ashes from the lit end.
The voice that once attempted to be comforting went cold over the intercom, "Quillish is dead."
Beyond shrugged his shoulders in an uncaring movement, "He was old, L." His eyes trained down towards the floor as he took another long hit from the cigarette.
L clenched his jaw and coiled his fingers back towards the palm of his hand. Releasing the small gentle fist he had created he spoke again towards his once successor. "He was murdered."
Beyond bounced himself from his leaning position against the counter and walked timidly into the interior of the home, his cigarette hanging from his lips haphazardly, before extracting the tobacco filled cylinder between his middle finger and index. "Murder happens. Death happens. Life happens, L. You can't tell me you brought me all this way to tell me the old man keeled, regardless of his demise type." His crimson eyes fell onto a small cottage like home. The living room was decorated with mocha walls and black leather furniture. Quaint but had a modern edge to it with the black iron light fixtures and well placed metal art on the walls.
"You are correct. I didn't bring you all this way for that. I brought you here because you and Near are all I have left." The voice seemed to fall to a crestfallen level. The voice solemnly added, "I always admired your mind and free spirit." L watched through the cameras to see a minuscule snarl caress the lips of the other.
"I won't be your successor again if that's what this is about…" He voice carried a warning tone to it. He walked passed a black marbled fireplace with a deep red accent wall a flat screen television mounted to the wall about the fireplace, towards a set of French doors.
"Not in the slightest. I'm offering you freedom. At a price." The voice seemed to be apprehensive. Beyond's hand paused on the handle of the door. His head turned slightly back towards the intercom and camera, listening intently. Continuing, "In exchange for your freedom. I ask a simple task of you. Work off your sentence."
The younger man hung his head in slight defeat betraying a small smirk, "Very funny." A hallow huff of laughter was heard. "You're a much better detective than comedian. I suggest you keep your day job."
"I assure you, Beyond. This is not joke. Regardless of your answer, you're still in my custody. I'm only offering you a way out of that sooner." The voice deadpanned.
Beyond rolled his vermilion eyes and turned the nob pushing the door open gently. His eyes fell into a deep blue room with dark cherry wood furniture. Ivory light fixtures and lamp sitting lonesomely on a night stand next to the bed. The bed covered with onyx comforter, seemingly silk in fabric. Trailing the scarlet eyes towards a laptop with a gothic print letter of 'B' on the screen, lined with files across the desktop. Beyond padded his bare feet towards the desk and shut the laptop. "You'll have to understand my skepticism…" He stared at the black laptop sorrowfully with his back to the camera.
L watched the thin figure linger in front of the desk with his head hung slightly. "It is loaded with all the cases that would end your sentenced years. I've already calculated them in estimation of years they would cut. I have in my possession written contract with the Queen. She agrees, should you complete the cold cases and current cases. You're free." His voice remarked with clinical clarity. Beyond waited for the catch, he stood nearly impossibly still. L paused and watched the figure hardly flinch. "And any cases I'm currently on."
The younger man nodded in irritation and turned his attention to the white door. He tilted his head slightly in curious interest and pushed the door open slowly. A lighter blue bathroom was behind the door. Cream marbled countertop, veined with black. The floor matched the countertop, it seemed to travel into the standing shower that was lined with black jets and a cascading shower head. Beyond raised an eyebrow as the corners of his mouth turned upwards. "I see." He dropped his cigarette butt into the toilet and flushed it before turning around to see the vanity of the counter.
L watched Beyond avoid his own reflection in the mirror. 'What I know; He's showing classic signs of distress… Is this because of the events leading to this?' Releasing a sullen sigh his eyes left the screen as his cell phone lit up. "I have to take a call. I will return momentarily." He pulled his hand back letting his eyes linger a little longer.
Beyond nodded dubiously. L watched him explore his home further as he pinched his phone and lifted it from the desk. "Yes." He answered with a dry uninterested tone.
Another monotonous voice came over the speaker, "How is he?"
L glanced back at the monitor to see Beyond haunched over next to the bedroom door. Crouched down, hugging his knees. "He's different… I believe our friend hasn't received the best living conditions."
The voice scoffed angrily but produced the same dull tone as before, "L, he was in prison. Surviving Kira's assault wasn't enough for you? You'll put yourself in the line of fire again? Perhaps it's time you stepped down. Perhaps the Kira case should be your last. Beyond Birthday is no friend of anyone who works for law enforcement."
L flicked his eyes over to the monitors to see Beyond had moved. He casually shifted through the sixty four different camera feeds. "Near. I understand you're not happy with my tactics. However, as I've told Beyond, I'll tell you, too. You're both all I have left." His eyes narrowed at the continued unsuccessful attempts at finding the elusive murderer.
"That's not an excuse, L. And if you're going to use it as such, it's a poor and distasteful one." The once bored tone seemed to be raising in annoyance.
L frantically tapped the key on his laptop keyboard, searching and switching feeds. 'Where did he go?' His mind raced in foreboding. He breathed a deep sigh of relief when he switched to the outdoor cameras to find him leaning against the grand outdoor deck, facing the railing.. "Your position is to take cases and solve them. My personal life is of no avocation to you."
A heavy breath was heard, creating a small amount of disrupting static, "At your wake… The only thing I'll say for a eulogy is: I told you so."
"Very well." L ended the call and watched the younger of the two prop his head up between his hands. His expression was laced with anguish. His eyebrows furrowed, eyes closed and distinct but small frown on his face. The intercom came alive once again. "I apologize."
"Why?" Beyond lifted himself from the railing of the deck and stepped into the kitchen. "Why? L. Why me? Why would you suddenly care? You never cared before. You didn't even leave the country when I went haywire."
A deep sympathetic tone came over the intercom once again, "B. I've always cared."
A cold and distant response was delivered, "I hated you." He leaned against the wall, laying his head back against it, allowing his ebony locks to fall over his eyes.
"I know." The voice dropped and sighed sadly, "I always regretted the way you were treated… The way I treated you." He continued, "I never knew how to approach you. You were always so full of life. So vibrant. It wasn't until you started to dull that anyone noticed. I'm sorry." He added.
Beyond lifted his head from the wall and looked up to one of the cameras in the immediate area, "I still hate you."
"I know..." L glanced up to the monitor, not that making eye contact wouldn't make much more of a difference, but he did it anyway. He dropped his eyes from the figure that seemed to embody and portray discontentment.
The former successor removed himself from the wall and padded his way back to the bedroom. Turning the nob to the bedroom, he glanced over his shoulder towards the camera, his voice cracking slightly from strain, "Just… One condition." L glanced his eyes back up. "I get to see you at some point… It's been a while."