Despite the fear and adrenaline now pumping through Raito's veins, he decided that his best course of action at the moment would be to follow L's previous advice and rest until L contacted him. After sleeping for a little over four hours, he was admitted from the hospital. If there was ever a good excuse to take a day off a school, this was it. Raito spent the next two hours laying in his room an staring at the ceiling. Misa called him once, but he ended that interaction shortly, saying that he needed to get some sleep. Mello also called his phone several times, but these he ignored.
When L contacted him with the hotel information it was mid day. Raito waited five minutes before leaving. He didn't want to sneak off the campus during a passing period. If he had tried to it was likely that he would run into someone he knew who would then ask him why he wasn't in class that morning and what had happened to his bandaged shoulder. Anticipating a reaction from L regarding the injury, Raito shrugged a sturdy jacket on to conceal it.
The Continor was one of the few hotels in a vicinity. Luckily for Raito, it was not very far from the school. No one tried to stop him from walking straight through the lobby and up the stairs (there was no elevator) despite how apparent it was that he did not belong there. L's room was on the second floor, so the walk did not tire the already fatigued Raito very much. For the sake of formality, he knocked on the door of room two-twenty-seven although he was not expecting a reply.
"It's unlocked." The familiar voice caught him off guard.
If L was using a recording device to talk to Raito the way he had their last meeting, it's projection would not have been loud enough to be heard through the door. Did that mean that L himself was in that room? There had to be some sort of catch to this. Raito opened the door and stepped inside.
This room was not unlike that of the hotel in Japan. It was smaller and far less fancy, but there was a coffee table and four cushioned chairs in the center of the room. Sitting on the chair facing the door, in plan sight, was a pale man with raven colored hair.
"Raito," the voice that Raito come to know so well came from his man's lips. "Please close the door."
"Right," Raito stammered, turning his back slightly to do so.
There was a hint of a smile on the man's lips, probably because this was the second time that Raito had neglected to initiate their privacy by closing the door to the room. The man didn't speak after, so Raito took the next few seconds to look him over. He took in the heavy circles under the dark wide eyes. Those contrasted greatly with the wan skin resembling that of a china doll. His clothes were basic, only a baggy white shirt and faded bluejeans. The man sat with his knees pulled to his chest, and his back hunched. He reminded Raito of a child. Only after this realization did Raito wonder at the man's age. He didn't look to be much older than Raito, not nearly old enough to be who Raito had to believe he was.
"You're L." Raito stated, more to himself than to the man siting across from him.
"I am L," he confirmed.
"I don't understand." This wasn't fully true, but Raito knew that L revealing his identity to him wasn't a blind act of trust. Something happened that forced L's hand, and Raito doubted that it was him being attacked earlier that day.
"Sit down," L instructed.
Raito complied.
"I told you something bad was happening," L reminded him.
"Yes," Ratio remembered.
"It regards the Lowood case," L added. "It seems I've been very foolish for the past few months."
"Could I have a less cryptic explanation?" Raito shrewdly asked. "I know that if whatever's going on is bad enough for you to show your face to anyone, then the both of us should be very scared."
"Correct."
"And when you first gave me the case you said that you couldn't spare the time to come here yourself," Raito remembered. "Because of another, more important case."
"Yes." The short answers were starting to wear on Raito's justly high nerves.
"Well?" He put as much pressure into his tone as he could.
"I will tell you everything, but I don't enjoy repeating myself," L explained. "We'll have to wait until Mello arrives before I go into any details."
"Mello?" Raito was surprised. "You're telling Mello that we've been working on his case?"
"I have to." L was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Speak of the devil. You may enter, Mello!"
Raito watched the door swing open and the blond enter confidently. This ceased when his eyes fell on Ratio. Momentary surprise was cooled with an calm irritation as his eyes shifted to L. Raito watched the boy look the man up and down, taking in the same information that he himself had moments before. This proved his theory that this was Mello's first meeting with L as well as his own. Once Mello seemed to deem his mentor worthy, his gaze traveled back to Raito.
"What is he doing here?" The question was directed at L.
"Does no one understand the importance of closing the door to my hotel room," L drawled.
Mello mutely slammed the door and turned the thumb lock.
"Raito-kun works for me," L answered Mello's question.
Raito felt slightly embarrassed.
"You sent him here to spy on me?" Mello asked, voice toxic with anger.
"Not necessarily," L drew out the statement, apparently not reading any of Mello's emotions.
"He didn't want you on this case," Raito explained for the detective. "But the people who work for him—he didn't tell me their names—sent you to Lowood without telling him."
"Wammy went behind your back?" Mello asked skeptically.
"I am as astonished as you are," L said flatly. "Raito's here because I didn't have the time to solve this case on my own. His job is to find out what he could while keeping an eye on you."
"So you've solved it then?" Mello concluded. "That's why you weren't in class today and why you're telling me all of this, right?"
"No," Raito told him. "I don't think I was even close."
"Raito-kun's absence was due to the fact that he was stabbed this morning," L added.
Raito wondered if L's intention was to aggravate both himself and Mello.
"You were?" The smallest degree of concern flashed in Mello's eyes.
"I'm surprised Misa didn't tell you," Raito sighed. "I was walking her home and a man attacked us with a kitchen knife."
"Is she okay?" Mello interrupted.
"Yeah," Raito answered. "She's not hurt at all."
"Their assailant died of a heart attack before he could kill her," L seemed to want to be in control of the conversation. "And Raito is pretending that the wound on his shoulder is minimal by concealing it."
Raito bit back a peeved response.
"I don't know why we're here," Raito told the blonde. "L said that he would explain once you arrived."
"Mello, sit down," L ordered. "Standing displays your aggressive nature too much for my liking."
Raito rolled his eyes as Mello sat down at the coffee table.
"Well?" Raito looked to L.
"Raito have you ever heard of the Los Angelus BB Murders? Mello I know that you're generally aware of what happened." L started with.
"No," Raito confessed. "Should I have?"
"I can't see why," L said. "But it's important for both of you to know the details of that case before I tell you anymore of what I strongly believe is happening at Lowood."
"Because you think they're connected?"
"Because they are connected. The killer at Lowoood and back then are one and the same." L's voice was dark. "The killer is B."
Mello listened intently as L explained the details of the case that had interested him the most. He had never been told the entire story, and L told him that this was mainly because he had wanted to be the one to tell it when Mello was ready to meet him. Mello chose to take this as a good thing, instead of hearing the darker meaning of it. He didn't want to think that L feared he would turn into what Beyond Birthday had.
"Thanks to Misora, the case wrapped up nicely," L concluded. "Unfortunately, a few months ago Beyond escaped from the asylum holding him along with four other inmates."
L produced a laptop from under his chair. Mello didn't bother asking why L hadn't just put the device on the table to begin with. The screen displayed the picture of a thin man.
"One of which was caught and killed attempting a robbery not too long ago. Two we have not found, but I don't doubt that at least one of them is behind the string of murders that I assumed Beyond was committing." L pressed the space bar and the screen switched to another image. "Raito-kun, you should recognize this one."
"That's the man who attacked Misa and I," Light Yagami confirmed.
L nodded, and minimized the picture. The computer screen changed to a folder of images that L had must have deemed important to the case. Mello's eye caught a small image of a Japanese woman with long hair in the corner of this file.
"Wait," he nearly lunged at the computer.
"What?" L didn't move to snatch it away, instead he let Mello take it with a curios expression.
Mello clicked on the picture. His heart jumped into his throat.
"Who is this?" He heard his voice ask.
"Naomi Misora," he was dimly aware of the intense stare he was receiving from L and the worried look Light was sending him.
"I know her," Mello knew that this was obvious to both of them given his behavior.
His eyes didn't leave the image of a slightly younger and far less tired version of Ms. Seto.
"She's here?" L wondered, pleasant surprise filling his voice.
"She's dead," Mello's voice was soft.
"What?" Light spoke now.
"She's missing," Mello corrected himself. "But I think she's dead."
Mello looked at L, who bit the end of his right thumb. Mello took this as a sign to continue, and told L and Light about how he had suspected and investigated Misora.
"The FBI isn't involved in this case, it's not on their ground. But that wouldn't matter, she retired due to her engagement recently. She must have some how known that this was Beyond," L murmured, his expression was distant. "I'll look into it."
"I was looking into it," Mello informed him. "I could continue if you'd—"
"No," L snapped back to present. "I need both of you to leave Lowood. It was Beyond's goal to catch my attention, and it is likely that he knowns he already has it. Raito-kun's attack may have been because Beyond suspects you are a spy for me. I want the both of you out of the country until this ordeal is over."
Mello felt fury and injustice rise within him. After telling him all of that, was L really going to send him out of harm and excitement's way? He couldn't just do nothing. What about Matt? He couldn't use this as a means to convince L, but Mello knew that his roommate would never forgive him should he up and leave.
"No," Light's voice broke through Mello's rage-filled thoughts. "I'm not going anywhere, L, and I don't think Mello wants to leave either."
"I can't protect the both of you from—"
"Okay," Light cut him off. "We understand, but this is not your decision."
Light glanced at Mello for back up.
"He's right," the blonde stated dumbly. His surprise at Light having the gall to defy L rendered him momentary speechless.
"Besides," a smirk played on Light's lips. "You still need a man on the inside. You'll solve the case faster if I'm here, and you know it."
Mello readied himself for L's set in stone counter argument, but it never came.
"Very well. But from this point forward I need the both of you to do exactly as I say." Light opened his mouth to speak, but L continued. "And, no Raito-kun, that does not mean 'exactly as I say within reason.' I need your full agreement to follow my orders or I will send you back to Japan with or without your consent."
Light look mildly annoyed.
"Deal," he told the detective. "Mello?"
"Yeah," Mello nodded. "I'll listen."
"Good," a shallow smile found it's way to L's face. "Then, we have work to do."
When Mello entered his room, Matt jumped up from the desk chair. The redhead was clearly startled but his expression was one of relief. Mello realized that maybe he should have told his friend that he was blowing off half of his classes for the day.
"Where have you been?" Matt demanded.
"Nowhere, Mother," Mello smirked and sat down on his bed. He used the shrug off as a chance to think of a good excuse.
"Earlier today you declared that Ms. Seto was murdered because the killer found out she was an investigator," Matt's tone was tight. "Then you disappear for half of the day."
"I'm sorry," Mello donned his best attempt at a guilty expression. "I just couldn't take everything. I needed a few hours to be alone."
"Oh," Matt looked taken aback. "Next time you do that, tell me so I don't jump to the conclusion that you're lying dead somewhere."
"Can I ask you something?" Mello didn't care that he was abruptly changing the subject. "If your parents knew the extent of the deaths, if they knew that you think the suicides were murder, would they pull you out of Lowood?"
"Any parent would," Matt shrugged, he crossed the room to sit down next to Mello.
"I mean it," Mello didn't need to try to make his voice serious. "If you called them right now and told them that you are afraid for your life, would they let you come home."
"Yes," Matt seemed to see what Mello was getting at. "Why? Do you think we should leave?"
Mello sighed. He didn't want to have this conversation, but everything L had told him was burned in his memory. Matt's involvement remained Mello's secret, partly because he knew that L and Light would not have approved of him involving someone else. But, even if no one knew that Matt was helping with the case, Mello's presence still made him a target. For some odd, confusing reason, Mello did not want to be the reason why anything happened to this boy.
I care about you, Matt. He didn't voice this. I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?
Cutting off his mental Shakespeare reference, he turned back to convincing Matt to leave.
"It's like I said earlier," he tried. "We're in danger, we're in over our heads."
"Would you leave?" Matt cut him off. "If I left would you leave?"
"Yes."
"No you wouldn't," Matt told him. "You'd stay and be in even more danger because you don't have me to tell you when you're going to far."
"It's not like I listen to you," Mello muttered.
"I know you don't," Matt said with a hint of melancholy. "So, in return, I'm not going to listen to you."
"Matt—"
"If I left knowing you were still here, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself," Matt continued. "I don't expect you to understand."
"I do understand," Mello voiced, surprising himself. Matt turned his head to look him in he eyes, and Mello felt a heat creep in his face. "I just figured it was worth a shot."
"To get rid of me?" Matt joked.
"Yeah," Mello attempted a humored tone.
"That's not going to happen," Matt smiled shyly. "You can try all you like, but I'm not going anywhere."
Mello felt his heart speeding up. It was becoming increasingly harder for him to breath. The only thing that he could focus on was the fact that Matt was sitting less than a foot away from him. Matt was so close that, if Mello tried to, it would be easy to pull the boy to him and—
"Is your hair natural?" Mello's need to distract his thoughts caused him to blurt the first thing that came to his mind.
"Yeah…?" From the look Matt was giving him, Mello was sure that the boy was contemplating the probability that Mello had just lost hold of his sanity.
"It's really bright," he stated dumbly.
"Yeah," Matt started laughing.
"Oh shut up," Mello muttered.
He felt his heart rate slowing down, but that didn't mean that any of the thoughts or feelings he had just discovered were gone. In fact, the more he looked at Matt—the more he was in the presence of Matt, the worse this emotions became. What on Earth had he gotten himself into?
After L had concluded the meeting with him and Mello, Raito had been instructed to convince Misa to go back to Japan. L had expressed that, even if Misa was not the original target, the failure of Beyond's attack on her and Raito would motivate him to take her life. Considering how terrified she seemed after the incident, Raito was fairly confident that she would want to go home anyway.
"Coming!" He heard Misa call when he knocked on her door. She had texted him the direction to her apartment, making sure to give him a rout that avoided the street they had been jumped in.
"How are you feeling?" He asked when she answered the door.
"You know," she shrugged, her usually cheerful attitude came off a note flat and nervous.
"Did you go to work today?" As they talked, Misa showed him into her small living room. She flopped onto her couch with a sigh. He sat next to her.
"No," she answered.
"That's good," he told her. He decided to get to the point of the conversation, doubting that the way he phrased it would change her response. "I was thinking, maybe you should go back to Japan."
"What?" She apparently didn't see this coming.
"I'm sure your agency will transfer you after what happened," he continued. "It's safer back home, and I know that none of them want you to feel afraid."
She bit her lip.
"But," she spoke hesitantly. "I don't have to be afraid anymore."
"What do you mean?" He read her expression easily. There was something that she wasn't telling him.
"It's going to sound crazy," her eyes broke away from his. "But someone was protecting us—protecting me last night. And now I don't need to be afraid of anyone, because I know how to protect myself."
He wasn't following.
"Misa," he said her name patiently. "What are you talking about?"
"I need to show you something," she met his eyes for a moment before standing up from the couch and walking to a bookshelf across the room. From the shelf, she pulled out a black notebook and walked back to Raito. "Touch this."
"You are not making any sense," he told her with apprehension.
She impatiently took one of his hands and placed it on top of the book. Raito pulled his hand back, sending her a questioning expression. Then he saw what was now looming behind her.
In his state of alarm, Raito tried to stand, but only succeeded in falling off of the couch and onto the floor. Standing behind Misa was something that he could only describe as a monster. The white skeletal features and gold snake-like eyes was something that only a child's terrified imagination could conjure up. At that moment he was transported into a childhood nightmare; he couldn't will himself to move at all, his voice failing him as he tried to speak. If he hadn't felt like he lacked his last shred of reality, Raito would have tried to pinch himself.
"Don't freak out!" Misa exclaimed. "This is Rem, she's a shinigami."
"Shinigami," Raito repeated, desperately trying to regain his composure. "Is this some sort of trick?"
He remembered who's apparent he was in. If monster in front of him was a illusion created by smoke and mirrors, it was not one Misa would create. Misa would not pull a sick joke like this.
"Of course not," Misa looked genuinely hurt at the prospect.
"Why can I see her? Has she been here the whole time?" Raito had found his voice now, and pushed himself off of the floor.
"Yes," Misa nodded, and held the black notebook out to him. "You can see her because of this."
Raito took the book, opening it to it's first page. His eyes widened as he read the instructions. If this was real, which the shinigami in front of him proved, he was currently holding the most capable and deadly weapon imaginable. His fingers pulsed as he realized the power he had with this book in his hands.
"Does she talk?" He asked Misa, gesturing to the shinigami. Raito's confidence was back.
"Yes, Raito Yagami," Rem answered.
"So you killed that man who attacked us, then?" he questioned.
"No." Her voice reminded Raito of gravel; it was low and stolid for the most part, yet still had a district unattainability. "Gelus was the one who saved Misa's life."
"Another shinigami?" Raito assumed. "Why would a god of death save a human?"
"He was in love with me," Misa whispered.
"Every human has a predetermined life span that all shinigami can see," Rem explained. "Misa's was destined to run out this morning. To save her, Gelus wrote the name of your attacker in his death note."
"Then why didn't he come to tell her that?" Raito asked. "Too shy?"
"Gelus is dead." Rem stated. "Shinigami are not meant to give life, only to take it. By protecting Misa he violated our nature. His body turned to white sand as he finished writing that man's name."
"Romantic, isn't it?" Misa didn't wait for Raito's agreement, her eyes falling back to the book in his hands. "That's his notebook. Rem thought I should have it."
"What are you going to do with it?" Raito's grip tightened on the book subconsciously.
"I don't know." If the look on her face was any indication, Raito doubted that this was true. "What would you do?"
There was so much he could do with this notebook. He could end the case, as long as L had an image of Beyond Birthday and knew for certain that this was his real name. Raito could end so many cases, and prevent so many more. He could rid the world of those that were not fit to inhabit it.
"I would create a perfect world," the harsh whisper in his voice pulled him back to his senses.
His emotions were running ahead of him. Before doing anything rash, Raito needed to process the supernatural power that he was holding. He needed to tell L. Despite how much it irked him to admit this, L would know what to do better than he himself did.
"You would kill criminals?" Misa questioned.
"Yeah," Raito took a breath to clear his head. "Misa, I need to introduce you to a friend of mine who can help with this."
"We don't need help—"
"Please, I don't want either of us to do anything that we'd regret." Raito silenced her argument. "You're not a murderer."
"Is it really murder if the person deserves it?" He had never heard a tone so dark come from such a pretty and innocent looking girl.
A rush of dread swept through him, Raito opened the death note to the page after the instructions. He stared at the name written in neat feminine hand writing. It hadn't crossed his mind that someone like Misa would end a life without being influenced. Why would she need to?
"Who was he?" Raito looked at her, but she would not meet his gaze.
Gingerly she sat down on the couch.
"My parents are dead," she whispered. "They were murdered right in front of me."
"I'm sorry," he sat down next to her.
"He stuck a knife into my mother's heart and looked at me and laughed," Misa's voice shook as tears glossed over her eyes. "I saw him with my own eyes. I knew it was him. I told the police, I told everyone, it was him."
Her voice broke with a sob, the tears down spilling down her cheeks and taking her mascara with them. Raito put his arm around her to offer some comfort. She gulped a shaky breath before meeting his eyes again.
"They kept pushing his trial back. People started to believe that he didn't really do it. They said that Misa was wrong." Raito assumed that the use of third person was the best she could do to distance herself from the story she was telling. "He hired a smart lawyer who asked confusing questions and everyone thought Misa was wrong."
"I'm sorry," he said again.
"I know it was him," her voice was a whisper. "Now it doesn't matter. He got what he deserved."
"I understand," he wasn't lying when he said this. "That's the reason you let your agency send you here, huh?"
No matter how much she talked about missing home, she had chosen to take herself away from the place that had stolen those she loved most.
"Everything there just reminds me of them," she sniffed. "And everyone I worked with knew about the trial."
"They talked to you about it?" He was appalled.
"No," she shook her head. "They didn't bring it up. Actually they barely talked to me about anything, and when they did they acted like I was made of glass."
"I'm sorry," he knew she must have heard these words a thousand times from a thousand different people. "I need you to meet my friend now."
Misa dried her eyes and they both stood from the couch. She held out her purse for Ratio to put the death note into. He hesitated.
"Hold on." He opened the book and carefully tore out the first three pages. He handed two of these to Misa. "Hide these, but don't use them."
"Why?" she took the pages from him.
"Just in case."
She nodded, and left the room to hide them further in her apartment. Raito folded the third page and put it into a card hold in his wallet. He made a mental note to keep a pen in his pocket from now on. If that didn't work he could keep a needle. Although the idea of writing in blood didn't appeal to him, he'd have to be in a desperate situation to use the emergency page. He then pulled out his phone, and called L's contact.
"Raito-kun, this is becoming a habit," L answered.
"There's something important I need to show you," he said shortly. "I'll be at your room in twenty minutes."
"I'll be here."
The silence that Misa held throughout the walk to the hotel would have seemed out of character were it not for the story she had just told Raito. Although she had stopped crying, he knew it would take her a few more minutes to fully regain her composure. So he refrained from speaking to her, and spent the quiet wondering what L's reaction to the notebook in Misa's bag would be. As they made their way, Raito was painfully aware of the shinigami following them. He didn't think that Rem would want to hurt Misa or himself, but being near the creature made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
When Raito nocked on the door, L answered it instead of telling Raito to let himself in.
"This must be Amane-san," L looked at Misa.
"Yes," her face brightened when L addressed her in Japanese. "Raito didn't tell me your name."
"Ryuzaki."
Raito's eyes widen to comical proportion when L used the alias he had earlier told him to refer to his pretend boyfriend as. Judging by the smirk on L's face, he had done this on purpose. Raito braced himself for Misa's reaction.
"Oh?" Excitement and confusion filled her eyes. "Raito said you lived in Japan."
"I do live in Japan," L turned his back on them, walking to the chair he had sat in earlier that day.
"He's visiting," Raito said before L could make the lie any less believable.
"Raito-kun said he had something important," L looked to Raito. "I'm beginning to think that it isn't new evidence."
"Evidence?" Misa asked.
"Ryuzaki is a private investigator," Raito decided to tell her. "Sometimes he takes cases outside of Japan. That's why he's here now, right Ryuzaki?"
L took four long seconds to stare at Raito's exasperated expression.
"Yes," he stated.
"Wait," Misa's eyes traveled back in forth between the two of them before resting on L. "How old are you?"
"Too old for Raito-kun," L smirked.
The expression on Misa's face was thoroughly appalled.
"I thought Ryuzaki could help with the notebook because he's seen his share of odd things as a detective," Raito brought the conversation back on topic.
"Raito-kun, if this is not about the case, I'm going to have to ask you and your friend to leave. We can't afford to waist time right now," L seemed far less amused than he had seconds before.
"I promise, this won't be a waist of time," Raito made his tone as pointed as he could. "Misa, could I have the notebook?"
She bit her lip.
"Please," Raito added. "You can trust him."
She removed the book from her purse, handing it to Raito who then gave it to L. When receiving the book, L hadn't taken his gaze away from Raito and Misa. This meant that, the second that his fingertips grazed the cover, he saw the shinigami looming behind the pair.
A sharp gasp escaped L, and Raito watched the notebook fall onto the carpet. Calmly, Raito picked up the notebook and set it on the table. He placed a hand on L's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. L flinched when Raito touched him.
"It's okay," he made his voice as soothing as he could. "I told you this was important."
"Raito-kun doesn't exaggerate," L murmured. "If anything, you were selling your news short."
"Yeah," Raito chuckled. "You want an explanation now?"
"That would be nice."
L held the death note between two of his fingers, reading through it's rules for the second time. The very existence of this book was enough to send him into a panic attack, and this was not because of the fear of the damage that it could do. All of L's life he had depended on unbendable facts. Yet this book—the shinigami that had brought it to their world—denied the foundation of his thinking. He listened to Misa and Raito's impossible story, and believed every word of it.
"You want my advice on what to do?" L finally asked.
Raito nodded.
"By bringing this to me you have already decided what must be done," he informed the boy. "We burn it," he glanced at the shinigami. "Or at least lock it away."
"Ryuzaki," Raito used the fake name of which L had not told him the origin. "I understand where you're coming from, but what if we used it to—"
"Out of the question," L denied. "Besides, we don't know for certain that Beyond Birthday is even B's real name."
"I'm not just talking about this case," Raito pressed.
"I know you're not," L spoke stiffly. "And it is still out of the question."
"You know what the world is like," Raito tried again, his voice a degree closer to desperation. "I know you've witnessed and tried to fix more horrors than I ever will. You know there are people who misuse their lives to hurt others."
"You are correct."
"Now you can stop them," Raito said in exasperation.
"You're asking me to attempt to prevent murder with murder?" L raised a eyebrow. "I did not realize Raito-kun was so hypocritical."
"I'm not asking you to do anything," Raito said. "I'm just saying that we should consider it."
"There is no 'we' in this situation," L told him harshly. "The fact that you would consider using this book proves to me that you should not be involved in deciding what happens to it. I trust your judgement, Raito-kun, but right now I can see that your emotions are misleading you. I understand that you mean well."
"You're treating me like a child again," Raito informed him.
"By wanting to use this you are acting like a child with a rigid sense of right and wrong," L countered.
"Bad people don't learn how to be good," Raito's face and body language was calm, but his words held fire. "If Beyond Birthday had been executed, would all of those boys be dead?"
"That is a line that you do not get to cross," L venomously snapped.
"It's the truth," Raito crossed his arms.
L sighed, trying to clear the clouds of frustration from his head.
"You're young," he finally said.
"If you're about to tell me that I'll understand when I'm older—"
Cutting Raito off was becoming a habit.
"When I was your age—well, maybe not your age exactly—but when I first started," L's voice was as patient as he could make it. "I thought that same thing."
"And now you don't," Raito looked at him doubtfully.
"There is so much of this world that you do not understand. How could you if you haven't experienced it?" L donned a sad smile now. "But if you used this book you would be no better than Beyond Birthday, or any of the people you want to expunge."
Raito's expression was far from convinced, but it seemed L's words had pacified him.
"Your argument is solely based on pride," Raito informed him.
"Not solely." L decided to admit: "But pride factor's into everything that we do."
"I supposed you're right about that," Raito sighed. "Even if that is the only thing you've been right about tonight."
To L's surprise, these words were not toxic in the least. L knew that Raito was far from over the subject, but it seemed that, at least for the moment, he would listen to L. This was odd coming from the stubborn boy.
"You can hold onto it," Raito confirmed L's thoughts. "But I still have more things to say."
"You'll always have more things to say."
The soft look that Raito gave him in response to this jibe, made L question what the boy was thinking.
"Are you guys gonna to tell me what you're talking about?" Misa's voice broke through L's musings.
"Will Amane-san remain here?" He doubted that Raito had the chance to convince the girl to go back to Japan.
"I think that's what's best," Raito glanced to Misa.
"Then Raito-kun may give her an explanation," L stated. "I trust that you will be able to tell what is too confidential for her to know."
"I'm sitting right here," Misa muttered.
Both Raito and L ignored her, L deliberately and Raito because his attention had shifted to the shinigami.
"I am I right in thinking that, even though Misa is letting Ryuzaki hold onto the death note, it still belongs to her?" He asked.
"Yes," the shinigami spoke.
"Then, as long as Misa is the owner, you'll still be following her around?"
"I will stay with her."
"Misa will be safe here," he said to L. "If Beyond tries to kill her it will be the last thing that he does."
"I see." L wasn't sure how Raito was so certain that this monster would protect the girl, but he didn't push the matter.
"We'll go now," Raito must have sense L's need to be alone to think.
L mutely nodded.
Raito stood, but instead of walking to the door he bent over L's chair and pulled the detective into an embrace. Not used to being hugged, and certainly not without reason or warning, L froze.
"She still thinks we're dating, remember," Raito hissed in his ear.
L remained still.
"If you don't hug me back, I'm not letting go," Raito informed him a little too loud.
L awkwardly wrapped his arms around Raito's back. The boy waited five agonizingly long seconds before pulling away. His lips curved up in a smile.
"Raito-kun is very demanding," L huffed.
Misa giggled.
"You know you like it." Raito winked and L felt even more uncomfortable.
"What was that about leaving?" he glared.
Raito rolled his eyes, leading Misa and the shinigami out of the room.
Thanks to everyone reading!
Reviews:
Callicanios, I'm happy that you like Misa in this fic (especially since you usually don't, I take this as a huge compliment)! I'm not surprised that you found the distance between Light and L frustrating, but I'm grateful that everyone stuck through the distance so that the plot could get where it needed to be for them to meet. I'm happy you liked how things fit together! Thanks for the review!
Bluxpudding, I really wish I could say that the initials were on purpose, but they weren't. Haha. You were right about Beyond, thanks for the prediction!
Guest, yup!
SadlyNotLawliet, cliffhangers are things I hate to read and love to write (because I'm evil). Thanks for the review!