Author's Note: Back to fan-fiction after several years away. Death Note was the first series I loved enough to write about, I hope it shows through in this story. It's a new angle, based off of the tags I've seen. No one has given Soichiro/L much consideration as a pairing... The few I could find on this site or AO3 were non-con /sigh. It may come off as a crack ship, but if you stick with the story I think these characters actually have a lot to explore between them.
Let me know what you think with a review ;-) I'll keep posting once a week or so at minimum, I haven't picked a regular update day yet but I'm pretty excited about this anyway.
In Pursuit of Justice
The chief of Japan's National Police Agency had reasons to be uneasy working directly with L. Allowing him to participate remotely with the investigation had been one thing. The world's greatest detective took immediate control of things and Soichiro had to resign to a background role. His force had never seen him heel to an outside power on so many fronts: giving the anonymous detective access to confidential case information, allowing unorthodox investigation methods such as provoking the suspect over television and using a death-row inmate as bait.
Soichiro could understand, then, why so many officers were resigning and quitting the case. Even before members of the police were targeted by Kira, he knew the dissenters had some truth to their words. He was not himself. This is not how Yagami Soichiro, family man and officer of the law, would ordinarily behave. No matter the stakes, he had never resorted to unethical investigation practices in the past. But many things had changed for him in the years leading up to this case, and in all honesty, the blind terror of a supernatural killer wasn't something he was prepared to face in his career.
He arrived at the hotel an hour early. He loitered in the lobby, beside a public coffee pot and tray of sugars and creams. The team had been instructed to arrive in staggered numbers, so as not to draw attention to themselves. The chief was first.
He was thankful for the time to himself, to collect his thoughts. In some ways, this felt like a turning point. If this L was the genuine article, he could be their only hope of bringing Kira to justice. Soichiro had always colored within the lines, as far as his work went. Even as chief, he was by the letter, and always by the law. Though he had conviction that this must be the only way, and he had the brave face to put on for his team, deep down he was a little shaken. If things went as planned, well... he'd be going rogue. Off the beaten path, off the books, maybe even as far as turning in his badge. All to chase this Kira.
He drank his coffee, letting the steam burn through his nose and fog his glasses. When he was solemn, he could sit in this silence indefinitely. So much had changed... Losing Sachiko five years ago, to a heart attack of all things. It came so suddenly, by the time he could make it to her side she was gone. Some part of him never healed. He imagined the hot coffee pouring down his throat, into his chest, to cauterize the always open wound. He breathed out carefully, meditating on the imagined sensation. It wasn't possible, but sometimes he wondered... isn't it too cruel of a coincidence? A serial killer appearing just a few years later, who kills by heart attack. The thought always enraged him, he had to put it aside if he was going to make it through this meeting. He breathed slowly, letting the thoughts settle, and drank until his mug was empty and his throat was raw.
Maybe for this reason, when he spoke to L directly for the first time, his voice came out a little hoarse. There was too much to absorb in the fine hotel room. The NPA had given them funds for an over-nighter here and there, but in his time as a salaryman he couldn't recall the last time he'd stood on the plush carpet of a five-star accommodation. Maybe his honeymoon? He strained to remember, and strained to stay present, as his eyes wandered from silk curtains to overstuffed cushions, decadent dessert trays, and the absolutely bizarre man in front of him.
He was younger than he should be, Soichiro first noticed. He doubted if the man was even 30; he looked closer to his son's age. Of some mixed Asian and European descent: his unkempt hair was a warm jet black, with hints of brown-red in the chandelier light, but his skin was a milky, almost chalk color that was unusual for his features. Soichiro stared at his bare feet, up to his loose clothes that were chosen for his height, but hung around him in pools of wrinkled fabric. He was slight, yet somehow immense by the atmosphere of those observing him. When Soichiro reached his eyes, he stiffened in place. L was looking directly at him.
"I am L," he said flatly. No hint of an accent in his Japanese, although Soichiro suspected it was not his first language. He paused to absorb the statement, his teammates around him similarly dumbfounded. Ultimately, Soichiro made the first move.
"I'm Yagami, of the NPA," he said in return, lifting his badge from his jacket pocket to display it. One by one his company did the same, stating their names and association.
L's eyes wandered behind the group, then locked onto Soichiro again. Despite himself, the sudden focus made the older man tense up. "I'm very sorry we're late, currently the five of us are-"
He stopped as he noticed the mysterious detective raise one arm, index finger pointed out like a gun. "Bang," L said. Soichiro felt his team startle and agitate around him.
"What the hell was that?" Aizawa piped up from behind him.
L didn't look at Aizawa, but kept his eyes locked on the chief. Soichiro was frozen staring back, completely baffled by the interaction. L lowered his arm, frowning. "If I were Kira, you'd be dead, Mr. Soichiro Yagami."