"What would I do without your smart mouth
Drawing me in, and you kicking me out
Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down
What's going on in that beautiful mind
I'm on your magical mystery ride
And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright
My head's under water
But I'm breathing fine
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind"
-All of Me - John Legend-
Scarlet eyes blazed through the criminal report. Eyebrows furrowed, a hand cradling his chin thoughtfully and a spoon hanging from lips. A quiet chuckle was heard from the speakers, "Stumped?"
Rapid blinks came from the younger raven's lids while he shook his head quickly, clearing his mind. Beyond pulled the spoon from his mouth with a pop sound. "No. Just confused why… I can tell you who. It's obvious. But why? There's no clear motive. Other than…" His voice trailed as his set the spoon on the cherry wooded desk and slid a cigarette into his mouth, lighting it in a fluid motion his words drawling while securing the smoke in place with a pursed fashion. "He was just tired of it all. Maybe… He was tired of his wife and kids…"
A drawn out sigh was heard, "He had an alibi."
Beyond's crimson eyes flicked up to the camera with a tiny smug smirk, "So did I." He folded his arms and shrugged his shoulders. "People lie. Everybody lies. Everyone stops fighting at some point." His eyes glanced down before looking back up to the letter on his screen, "Some people just kick and scream on their way out."
L betrayed a smile from behind his laptop. "I suppose." He smiled again when Beyond brought one knee to his chest and left the other foot on the ground, while eyeing his cigarette suspiciously. His smile grew when the successor's eyes rolled and cracked a small smile of his own. 'So, you truly became a man of your own creation… I'm glad.'
Taking a long drag from his cigarette, "Anyway. I can prove he did it. Really, anyone could have if they looked at it from the perspective of giving up. I'll send you the file." The lit cigarette hung from the pale lips loosely as he typed on the keyboard. After sending the file, Beyond relaxed back into the chair while staring up at the ceiling.
L's computer chimed at the arrival of the encrypted file. He glanced at the notification on his laptop, returning his dark eyes to Beyond, "Can I ask a personal question?"
"No." Beyond furrowed his eyebrows and bit his lip as he put the spent cigarette out in a makeshift ashtray. He sighed as he sat back upright and propped his elbows on the desk and cupped his cheeks, leaning onto his hands. "What do you want to ask?"
Running his index finger along his bottom lip contemplatively, L nodded gently, "No. It's alright. It was a dumb question. One that you wouldn't have to answer."
Raising a decently groomed eyebrow curiously, "Well, I gotta know now. The great L, thought something that came from his own mind was dumb? My, my, how the mighty have fallen."
Scoffing in good nature L replied, "I was going to ask why you wanted the book." He watched the expression on Beyond's face change from playful to crestfallen. "Like I said, you don't have to answer."
The younger man sighed loudly, "I knew someone who read books like that all the time… I had a dream about it last night, I just wanted to read it again."
A small smirk crept against the lips of the older detective, "I'm unusually curious about what you were dreaming about…"
Beyond shrugged his shoulders casually, "Like I said. A book." He smirked at a disappointed groan that resounded from the speakers. "Hey! I have to keep what little privacy I get! You can't put cameras in my mind." He crossed his arms in a playfully defiant way. Tilting his head, Beyond leaned in and eyed the camera of the laptop suspiciously, "The cameras in the bathroom don't actually work, do they? Because if they do, that's a new level of creep factor, even for you." Shining sanguine eyes widened in shock when a full bodied laugh was heard coming through the speakers. A small genuine smile crept along his own pale lips as his flicked his eyes downcast.
"They do, actually. I'm sorry. As I learn to trust you a little more, I'll take them out." He gave a hearty laugh again when the smile disappeared from Beyond's face and was replaced with crinkled nose of distaste. 'I'm not sure how long it's been since anyone made me laugh like that… Come to think of it… He was the last to make me laugh like this…'
L watched Beyond stretch his arms back and open the next file. "Don't you have any cases you should be working on, rather than harassing me?"
The older raven cleared his throat, "That's just it… I have a troubling case. One I think you're input would be invaluable in." The younger man's eyebrows raised in interest. "Think maybe I could get your second opinion?"
A devious smile crossed the features of the successor, "Quid pro quo."
The detective narrowed his eyes in frustration and spoke through gritted teeth, "I'm listening…"
Beyond sat back in the chair with his arms folded with the same mischievous smile, "I've only been here a day and I'm bored and lonely. Though, at least I don't have to watch over my shoulder… I almost prefer it over this silence. So. I'll help you in person."
A drawn out sigh was heard, "B, you know I can't do that." Beyond dropped his eyes slightly before continuing to read the next file.
"That's my condition. I technically don't have to solve any cases…" Beyond glanced out the large window before standing up and grabbing his spoon and empty jar of jam. "I'll complete the cold cases that are set in front of me. But, knowing full well those won't complete my sentenced years, I won't help in any current cases unless it's in person. Don't like it? Get used to me, if I'm not mistaken, that will leave us with ten years."
Beyond turned and padded his way from the bedroom, into the living room, L followed his path through camera feeds towards the kitchen, "You have to understand, B." The younger man rolled his eyes as he washed the remainder of the jam from the glass jar at the kitchen sink then stepped over to the sliding glass door of the kitchen.
Sliding the heavy door open with minimal effort, "Oh. But I do understand, L." A devious smile curved around his lips as he dropped the jar into a green bin off the side of the deck. "I do understand…" Beyond watched a couple of birds sitting together in a tree and gave a small smile before turning and walking inside. "But, until you accept my conditions. There is nothing further to discuss on it. I'm aware about your love for reclusiveness and that no one has seen hide or hair of you since the Kira case in Japan." Beyond waved at the camera dismissively as the intercom queued, and interrupted L before he could speak. "I've been watching. Against my better judgement and pride, I'll say… I was jealous of him. So, when Light Yagami turned up dead at the hands of his own detective and Near… I wasn't bothered. If anything. For once… I cheered for the little lamb." A menacing chuckle came from Beyond's throat, "Think he did it on his own? Solved so much? So clever he was, but observant he was not."
L stared with wide eyes of interest as Beyond spoke, his finger pressed the button to speak, "It was you?" 'They didn't even solve the Kira case without you? I left them everything… He has only what they gave him… And still…'
Folding his arms the successor sighed while leaning against the mocha wall of the dining area, his eyes landing on the black walnut table. "No. Together. I can't take the credit for it alone. We made a pretty good team… Kind of gave it that… Hannibal and Starling feeling to it though… A little cliché, to use one killer to track another."
"How? You were still locked up in Los Angeles?" The voice seemed to be genuinely baffled. 'Why wouldn't they disclose this to me? Is he lying? Though… They also didn't disclose why he was in solitary confinement… There are too many unfavorable variables.' L's eyes narrowed slightly in contemplation.
A small smile graced the younger features of Beyond's face, "I put myself in his mindset. Light was smart. So it would take another genius to think like him. And it would take a killer to think like Kira… Near was smart to seek out a resource that fit both. Less foot work that way. He sent me all the information. I sent back my findings." His deep voice seemed to purr at the elder's confusion, " It wasn't that hard, L."
Sighing quietly, the previous murderer bounced his shoulder from the wall and walked towards the other bedroom he hadn't explored yet. It was opposing to bedroom he was staying in, same French door style. Beyond tilted his head slightly and placed his hand on the handle and tried to turn it gently. "So. Maybe I could swing you into taking a couple years off my sentence for the Kira case?" His eyes narrowed in moderate frustration at the stubborn door handle before turning it a little more aggressively.
Apprehensively L's voice drawled over the speakers, "Yes. If Near will vouch for your usefulness. I think maybe that case should take… Three years?"
The younger man's right eyebrow twitched with anger when the door wouldn't budge. "Hey, L?" Folding his arms he turned around in a childish manner, leaving his back to the door while pouting slightly.
"What is it?"
Beyond leaned his back against the dual doors and sighed while laying the back of his head against the doors, "Thanks. I know it doesn't mean anything to you. But… I think much longer there and… Well, there wouldn't have been anybody to drag out to the nowhere country of England and torture so thoroughly." Beyond's scarlet eyes fell shut slowly while taking a deep breath and released it as he spoke, "What behind this door?" He puckered his lower lip and his voice fell solemnly, "It's locked."
L sat in silence for a moment and let the gravity of the words he just heard sink in. 'Is he saying what I think he's saying?' His eyes looked up to meet the slender younger man, his eyes trailed along his swanlike neck towards the softer jawline and puckered lower lip. 'I can imagine… Somewhere like prison… Wasn't a pleasant place for someone like him.' Continuing their path, his charcoal eyes glanced over his cheekbones and found himself sighing. "Nothing but worthless, old relics…"
A/N: I'll say it now. I'm sorry to anyone reading this or any of my stories. I've recently had an emergency in my family... My updates may be slower than normal as I need to take a second job.
