"I need to take some time away to work on my security maintenance duties." Light let out, disliking the knowing grin on L's face as he spoke. The room was bright with artificial light, the windows now clear as the sheet of metal that encased the glass when security breaches (such as the lovely power outages) occurred had retracted. The minuscule amount of sunlight streaming into the room through the rain.
"Of course, when will I see you again? This is not the end of our interviews, correct?" Light nodded and stood back, relaxing his shoulders as he tried to seem natural. He could feel the security cameras burning into his skull but dared not to look their way. It was best to act as if the cameras didn't exist. It was only natural, he never paid mind to them beforehand, so why would he now?
The sound of the rain against the glass and the pattering of an impatient foot brought him back from his thoughts.
"No, I think I'm getting a permanent position sometime in the future, so I'll be back later and we can continue our talks like normal. Work just comes first, I mean it's the reason I'm here." L nodded with a light in his eyes, the prideful look of keeping something hidden that only he and Light knew about reflecting in his eyes.
"Just try to keep those power outages under control if you can. Maybe charge at night so they won't affect our work during the day." Light laughed, watching as L scowled at him and lifted his nose up in disgust. The once prideful look now replaced with irritation, Light was unsure if it was genuine or if L was acting along as he was.
"I will not be blamed for what I cannot help, but I will try as you have suggested. Whatever will make your work easier, Light." He spat, looking past Light and to the clock on the far wall. Light glanced back, checking the clock and nodding as it was about time for him to leave.
"Well then I'll see you later. Don't give Aiber too much hell, alright? No biting the hand that feeds you or whatever they say." The corner of his mouth lifted at this as he turned to leave, winking coyly as he left and laughing at L's expression as the door closed behind him. L simply crossed his arms and scoffed. Mentally congratulating Light for being able to act so well under such short notice. He would have to ask him if had any acting experience the next time they spoke.
"You really need to figure out what's wrong with his charger, those power outages are starting to get annoying." Light called into the living room as he entered, honing in on the bar and seating himself. Picking his discarded water bottle off the counter and tossing it from hand to hand. Glancing at Wedy perched on the couch and then to Aiber as he occupied the treadmill.
"Only if the toaster wants to stop causing them." Aiber huffed, his voice wavering as his head bobbed up and down, he was jogging at a steady pace with his back facing Light. Clearly more interested in his workout than in the previous security breach.
"He says he has no control over them, and I'm inclined to believe him. He kept jabbering on about how he doesn't think it's fair he's blamed for them when he has no control over them." Light said, taking a drink and looking in Aiber's direction. The rain hadn't stopped, still pouring and flooding the small patio just outside. Everyday the weather seemed to get worse and worse, the rain lasted longer and longer with smaller breaks in between the showers.
"Remember what I said, it'll play with your head." Light nodded, letting out the air in his chest, his feet kicking against the metal bar stool.
"I guess so, sorry, I guess he's getting to me." Light tried to laugh, but all that came out was a pathetic rasp of air as he took another drink of stale water. He wondered how water could go stale like that, the bottle had only been out for a few hours. Water doesn't even have a taste.
Aiber continued to jog, gazing back at Light's reflection then glancing over to Wedy seated in the corner with a textbook in between her thighs. "So what did you talk to it about today?"
Light set down the bottle and leaned back against the counter, shifting his weight and crossing his arms. "Nothing much, actually. I told him I had to take some time away from our interviews to work on a project for you. He took it okay, a little disappointed but okay."
"Then we talked about those outages and then he tried to tell me a few jokes he'd found in those books you gave him. By the way, why are you letting that thing read shitty joke books? Are you trying to torture me? He can't deliver a joke worth shit."
Aiber chuckled, raising his hand and waving it a bit. "Maybe I wanted to be a stand up comic at some point, found a bunch of old joke books and decided that maybe I could live vicariously through a toaster?" Light laughed, he couldn't really see Aiber as a comedian, the man carried to much of an aggressive air to be able to deal with hecklers. He would imagine any comedy career would be short lived if Aiber ever had the chance of a confrontation with naysayers in the back of a bar.
"Doesn't suit you much, I'm guessing you just ran out of books to give him and was too lazy to order any off amazon." Aiber grinned and pointed a finger at him, twisting his arm at a weird angle to do so.
"Bingo, kid!" Light groaned and rested his head against the surface of the counter as he slouched in the stool.
"Great, good thing I don't have to hear them for a few days. You need to program some comedic timing into him." Light proposed, his head still pounding from last night's mistakes and the thudding of Aiber's feet making it worse.
"I'll consider it, kid." With that Light removed himself from the bar and walked past him and out of sight.
[AN: I have been super sick the last two weeks with some pretty bad medical complications. I feel bad for not updating so I'm just gonna post what I had finished of this chapter before I got sick. Sorry.]